


Fool Me Once, Shame On You

by SkyDownBelow



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Dursley Family (Harry Potter), Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Albus Dumbledore Being an Asshole, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Bashing, Character Death, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Draco Malfoy is a Good Boyfriend, F/M, Good Lucius Malfoy, Good Narcissa Black Malfoy, Harry Potter Time Travel, Harry Potter is not Hadrian Potter, Harry Potter's Name is Hadrian, Hermione Granger Bashing, Luna Lovegood is a Good Friend, M/M, Molly Weasley Bashing, Neville Longbottom is a Good Friend, Possessive Draco Malfoy, Possessive Tom Riddle, Ron Weasley Bashing, Sane Tom Riddle, Tom Riddle Needs a Hug, kind of?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:02:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 43,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27371626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyDownBelow/pseuds/SkyDownBelow
Summary: Hadrian defeated the psychopath Voldemort just like in the books. He's now a Lord.His friends are not who they seem.He dies...or did he?He is the Master of the Inevitable.He will never die.Follow a betrayed 18 year old man into an alternate universe where he appears injured in front of a newly born sane version of Voldemort, who looks human... and himself.His 14 Year Old Self.Will he fool for the betrayals once again? Will he stop his past self doing the same?He's determined to do one thing.He will do all his best to stop Harry from becoming Hadrian.Hadrian x Tom RiddleHarry x DracoHadrian is 18 years old and comes from the cannon universeHarry is 14 years old. His world is mostly cannon with some slight changes. Such as Voldemort returning as a sane human rather then a snake-man.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Harry Potter & Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter & Fred Weasley & George Weasley, Harry Potter & Severus Snape, Harry Potter & Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy
Comments: 37
Kudos: 279





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Do not read if you find Abuse, violence or threats triggering towards yourself.  
> This is my first Harry Potter fanfiction.  
> Hope you enjoy!  
> Xx

**Warning! Detailed description of Torture. Please do not read if you are sensitive to this.**

**_Hadrian_** stood in the forest, waiting for his friends. he sighed as he rubbed his hand self consciously. The Goblin's had said that they couldn't rid him of the scar on his hand because a cursed scar can never heal. He frowned in annoyance as he realised that the same had happened to his lightning bolt scar. Once the Horcrux had disappeared the scar had become hardly noticeable unless actually looking for it. He had enjoyed that fact a lot when he had gone to change his style. His fringe was now swept to the one side of his head, falling down in curly waves to just above his shoulders. Apparently new Lords grew out their hair once they received their lordships and Hadrian didn't want to bring more attention to himself for not doing the same. Although, he didn't necessarily hate the change. Accept the Ron had mentioned that he looked like a girl a few times now that he had longer hair. Hadrian rolled his eyes at the thought of his ginger friend. They had been bickering a lot lately and he thought it was just because the war was finally over and they had nothing to do anymore, but he still felt irritated whenever he heard Ron whispering stupid things about him from his bed.

He was stood just inside the forbidden forest, he had been at Hogwarts for a few months trying to fix the damage to the castle that the final battle had brought it a year ago. A few other students and teachers had also joined in to help, and he couldn't help but be relieved when he realised that most of the Gryffindor's had come back, giving him time away from Ron and his constant comments. He looked up at the sky and realised that it was nearing dark, he had only been there for about half an hour but he wanted to leave because he was exhausted and needed to collapse into his bed. He was only there because Mione had wanted to meet him out here with Ron after dinner. She and Ron hadn't been at dinner and he was wondering if they and gone off to snog and left him out here by accident. He sighed once again, feeling the tiredness of his muscles he shook out his arms to keep them from falling asleep. He couldn't help but let out a startled gasp as he heard a crack behind him before realising he recognised the voices. The 18 year old raven hared boy turned, facing his friends. He smiled at the two closest people in his life and then furrowed his eyebrows.  
"Hey? Mione, what did you want to talk about?" Hadrian asked his female best friend, who smiled at the boy before pulling her wand out. Hadrian frowned and let his eyes wonder over to his ginger male friend, who also had his wand in his hand.  
"What are you doing?" Hadrian asked in confusion as Hermione and Ronald both pointed their wands at him. He shook his head in disbelief and blinked once and then twice to see if he was dreaming.  
"Oh _Harry_ , how naïve you are." Hermione chuckled as she walked up to the boy, a malicious smirk forming on her face as she closed onto the boy. Hadrian lost his confused smile as he looked at both his friend's in a way he had rarely ever had to before. it was the face that he had used when Ron had walked out on him and had believed he had entered his name in the goblet of Fire.  
"What are you talking about?" Hadrian asked as he glanced at Hermione's wand and back up to her face.  
"We were never your friends _Harry_. You're a freak!" Ron spat as he walked to stand beside Hermione.  
Hadrian froze, his hands stilling by his sides as he looked at his best friend in shock.  
Hoping, believing that they would start laughing and calling him out on a joke.  
"We made you do everything we wanted. And along with that, we were all instructed by your blessed Grandfather figure to do it. Dumbledore controls your life even after his death. Pity he didn't know that you wouldn't actually die from Voldemort's spell." Hermione explained and a scowl appeared when she explained Harry's lack of death. Hadrian's breath hitched as he stumbled away. "W-what are you talking about?" Hadrian whispered as he looked between his two friends. "Silly little Potter! The Chosen one! The only thing you were chosen for was death." Ron taunted his former best friend as tears flooded the black haired boy's vision. "Dumbledore knew that with Voldemort alive, we would never be able to kill either of you. So he created that prophecy in order to get you both to kill each other. Sadly, it didn't fully work and we thought that you would happily marry Ginny so that we could kill you afterwards and have all your money. However, yet again you disappointed us. Ginny told us that even with the manipulation spells she cast on you and the potions she used, you never took an interest. So we decided to do the next best thing and kill you anyway." Hermione reasoned with a sick look of pleasure.

Hadrian felt sick. His two best friends were talking about his life as if it had all been a complete lie and had been set up since his birth by themselves.

"Oh, but before that...we think you could use some help in order to break that spirit of yours. Your relatives were supposed to do it and they sure did a good job, just not good enough." Ron stated and then looked Hadrian in the eyes. "This will hurt a little," Ron smiled sheepishly, as if there was nothing wrong. Hadrian shivered, the once happy smile that had warmed Hadrian inside to know that he had a true friend, now seemed disgusting and insane.

"Crucio!" Hermione and Ron cast together unexpectedly, the bewildered boy let out a scream that shattered the air around him. Once the two finally stopped casting, the boy lay shivering and convulsing on the dirty floor beneath him. His existence just a curse and burden for the two standing in front of him. "Hmmm, maybe we should add some scars to him before he departs from the world. Could be a final present." Ron reasoned as he looked to his girlfriend, who nodded in agreeance with a girly giggle, like they were sharing an inside joke.

Hermione then summoned a knife, stepping towards the shaking figure and crouching beside him. "Now-now, _Harry_. Don't be sad." Hermione muttered happily into the boy's ear before ripping his top off of him. Hermione smirked as she looked at the scar filled skin. "Huh, your uncle did his work well." Hermione muttered absentmindedly as she traced a scar that ran from Harry's shoulder blade to the small of his back before turning him over to face upwards. the boy didn't fight, tears streamed down his face as he let out a pitiful whine and flinched away from the touches. She laughed harshly when the boy cried out for help as she started tracing the knife into his skin.

An F was drawn jaggedly before an R. This carried on until Hermione had finished writing FREAK into the boy's skin. Harry lay blank eyed as he stared up at the darkened sky, he didn't even process what was happening and couldn't believe what his best friends were doing to him. He lay still as he felt his conscious face slightly, as if he was disappearing. He knew that he wouldn't be able to escape, even if he was the best out of the three of them at defence. He was injured and half conscious from shock. he had no chance. He tried to rake his brain to try and figure out a way to stay alive. Anyway to get away without his best friends' being the ones to kill him. He vaguely remembered a spell that he could use and without any more conscious thought, he shouted out the words and his body was enveloped in black flames. Harry numbly took notice of the disbelieved looks on his best friends faces, tears slipping down his face as he took their appearances in for the last time. "I don't even hate you." Harry whispered in remorse as the flames grew larger and they took steps away, the flames becoming more aggressive. The flames felt comforting to harry, they were hot but they didn't burn. They were very pretty too and Harry observed the beautiful designs they drew over his body as they submerged him.

Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger watched as the person that had unknowingly been tortured and hated by them for 7 years disappeared; not even ashes were left.


	2. I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! Violence within and Abuse mentioned. Do not read if you are triggered by these topics.

Chapter 1:

Hadrian James Peverell Potter Black felt nothing at all for a moment. His whole being felt numb. It was as if he couldn't hear anything- not even silence. He couldn't see anything- no darkness or light or colour. He was simply there.  
"Why...such a young man to have awoke me." A voice that seemed to have come from all directions muttered. "Although perhaps since you will be my final Master in this world, I will grant you your wish." The voice continued, at the end of its sentence a click sounded a Harry could see light.  
"You will continue your journey. You will travel back and undo all that has been done to you. You will guide your own self to greater means. Do this and you will be content. Thank you Master, for getting rid of that wand in your life. Repeat this action once again and you will have one other wish."  
Then in a blink of an eye, the boy was in a completely different place, a bright blur of white over taking his vision. He heard distinct calls and tried to shake the fogginess out of his head as he opened his eyes. He no longer wore glasses as he had gotten his eyes fixed just after the battle, realising they were a massive weakness he couldn't afford in the future escapades of tracking down escaped Death Eaters. His scar and faded slightly after the death of the horcrux within him. He was happy to realise that people had stopped recognising him as much in public due to this for a time until the newspapers came out with him on them.  
His eyes blinked open a few times as he realised the sky was growing dim. He tried to sit up but realised that his muscles were not responding to his calls to move.  
He realised that there was a figure above him, he recognised the mask straight away and flinched when the hand of the figure moved towards him. He groaned out in pain as he tried to get up once again, his muscles tense and spasming from the recent Crucio. He realised that his half shredded t-shirt was sticking to the cuts on his shoulder and collarbone and let out a pained sigh as he peeled the ruined material away. He heard gasps from in front of him and his eyes widened in alarm as he covered the new cuts with the soaked material and looked up. The man in the death eaters mask was unmissably Lucius Malfoy, which made Harry's eyes widen in panic. The last time he had seen the man was at court before he was taken to Azkaban for a life sentence. His sharp breath and brought on a vicious chest cough and he spluttered in order to get air back into his lungs. Once relieved, he sat back up properly and raised an eyebrow at the frozen man in front of him. "What's wrong Lucius? Surprised to see me?" Hadrian asked as the man stepped back, almost as if he had seen a ghost. Hadrian then decided to take in his own surroundings and noticed that it was the graveyard that had been used for the rebirth of Voldemort back in his fourth year. His eyes widened as he assessed the similar situation. Lucius and all the inner circle were here. The rat was scampering on the floor holding his wounded arm and Hadrian couldn't help but smirk at that sight. He then took notice of the man dressed in a black robe. Hadrian's head tilted to left as he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Hadrian limped as well as he could over to the figure, ignoring the warnings of someone located behind him. Hadrian could feel the material that had plastered itself back onto his wound and gritted his teeth in pain. Both physical and emotional.  
Once he reached about 2 meters away from the man, the death eaters started to move as well. They covered the man from all sight and Hadrian frowned in confusion. He pushed one of the Death eaters out of his way who was caught off guard by physical fighting and fell to the side unbalanced. Hadrian continued to limp until he stood in front of the man, who had lifted his head to face him. Hadrian's breath caught in his throat as his eyes widened. He knew this man. This man who had haunted his mind and nightmares for so long. 

"Voldemort?" Hadrian breathed out as he stood face to face with his sworn enemy of his past. Although he didn't look like him at all. The man in front of him was no snake and even had a nose. The man in front of him stood tall and proud and had the looks of an older Tom Riddle, maybe about the age of 20 or so. The man's eyes narrowed and he took a step back from the unwanted visitor.  
"How dare you interrupt the celebration! Who are you?" A man in a mask from behind the new Voldemort sneered and Hadrian took a step away from them, his thoughts racing and his whole body trembling. "B-but you...you look...you look human." Hadrian muttered out as he stared at the man in the cloak, confused and bewildered. Hadrian flinched away once again as a hand stretched out towards him. "Don't come closer!" Hadrian ordered to the Death Eaters, the serious tone in his voice making a few of them hesitate. Harry stumbled a little as his mind wavered. He turned on the spot quickly, looking for anything that could help although he didn't realise how dizzy he was feeling as he fell back, his body colliding with something hard.

Hadrian felt like his breath had all gone and he didn't think he could close his eyes. He had just fallen back into his once-arch enemy's arms and his 14 year old self was staring straight back at him from where he was tied to the Grave of Tom Riddle senior. 

"What the fuck have I done?" he asked out loud to himself as he continued to stare at...himself.


	3. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! References to Harry's abuse at the Dursley's (because that's what it was and i hate when people say it wasn't abuse) and violence. If you find this alarming or triggering, please do not read. There's also swearing involved in this chapter.

"Who are you?" Harry asked as he wiggled against the ropes that held him to the gravestone. Harry was scared, that's for sure. He was only 14 years old and was facing a dark wizard that wanted to get rid of all Muggleborns and muggles. He a psychotic murderer who had killed his parents in cold blood and tried to kill a baby as well. Now he was being reborn and was more then capable of killing him. Then a mysterious person just appeared out of no where. He seemed injured, in pain and Harry couldn't help but pray that this person would help him. That was until he saw his face. Harry had seen weird things happen all his life, a lot of them happening to him but he wasn't and didn't think he would ever be prepared to see and older version of his face staring back at him.

"Who are you?" Harry asked dumbly, already knowing the answer. His older-self seemed frozen, trapped in the arms of Tom Riddle. Harry struggled once again with the bindings and let out a breath of relief when he felt them loosen and fall to the ground beside him. Harry looked back up as he stood up, aware that himself and the older version of himself were surrounded by Death Eaters. Harry grabbed for his wand and was instantly blinded by numerous spells only to be hit with none. A scream erupted from in front of him and he looked to the man in front of him, who was screaming as he writhed on the ground.

"Stop! Stop!" Harry cried as he crouched beside the man and tried to see how he could help. The spell stopped and the man coughed, turning on his side to spit up blood. The man lay there in pain, a few tears leaking from the corners of his eyes when he tried to stand, only to fall back onto his knees. Harry tried to move but froze in his position behind the crouching man when he turned and quickly ordered Harry to, "Stay behind me. Don't move." Harry stayed frozen, shock and fear clouding his vision as he trembled.

"Leave him the hell alone. He's 14 fucking years old." Hadrian hissed as he looked at the advancing Death Eaters.

"You're not in the position to make orders right now." Lucius sneered behind his mask. Hadrian turned a sardonic smile onto the blond before whistling.

"Hmm, Lucius Malfoy. The last time i saw you was when I sent you to rot in a cell in Azkaban. " Hadrian said in a serious tone, making Lucius falter.

"What?" Lucius whispered in confusion.

"Oh look, Peter Pettigrew. You disgust me but I suppose you did save me so I'll grant you that." Hadrian continued, list off the different death eaters. All of them became very apprehensive as the crazy person listed off either their deaths or imprisonments.

"You haven't realised yet, have you?" Hadrian marvelled in bemusement as he stared at the death eaters, who seemed to all be war of the new comer and put out that he had managed to identify all of them. Harry then raised his arm, showing them a jagged scar of his inner forearm. The Death Eaters stood in confusion as they tried to figure out the meaning. Hadrian rolled his eyes in annoyance before turning to Harry and gently pulling the arm towards him, Hadrian whispered "Episkey," and the wound healed. Hadrian then quickly healed his own injuries as best as he could. The only things that didn’t heal were his cursed scar on his shoulder and a few injuries he could identify himself. He’d need help to heal them.

The Death Eaters gasped for two reasons.

The young man had just preformed wandless magic for one, and also, that scar that had now appeared on Harry Potter's arm now looked identical to the one on the elder boy's arm.

"HARRY POTTER!" The Death Eaters started panicking, pointing their wands closer at the new appearance. "My Lord! It's Harry P-" Lucius Malfoy insisted, turning towards his Lord as the man walked closer. "Potter. Yes, I assure you that my rebirth has not made me brain dead, Lucius." Tom Riddle interrupted, his tone utterly similar the a certain potion's professor. Voldemort then turned towards the two figures kneeling on the ground, the first nursing numerous injuries as the younger hid behind him, shaking. The Dark Lord shocked many of his followers as he crouched beside the elder version of the famous Boy Who Lived.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Voldemort uttered as he lifted the young man's face up by two fingers under his chin. The man seemed to tense, studying the human features of his once arch-nemesis.

"Indeed, I am." Hadrian confirmed, moving his hand slowly to pull up his fringe, showing the faded lightning bolt of his forehead. Voldemort hummed in interest as he examined the scar before pulling the boy's hand away from his hair.

"How old are you?" Voldemort asked absentmindedly as he looked at the young man and then towards the boy behind him.

"I'm 18 years old. I suppose I'll be 19 this year." Hadrian replied as he gritted his teeth as his body convulsed from Crucio aftershock once again. Voldemort's eyes narrowed as he watched the young man's body tremble.

"Why are you here?" Voldemort asked sharply as he stared at the 18 year old boy. Voldemort's eyes widened as the boy let out a bitter laugh, tears falling down his eyes as he stared at the ground.

"I didn't want to die." The boy whispered, almost as if he was talking to himself. Harry, who was behind the older version of himself, gasped.

"W-What? You-I-We almost died?" Harry asked in confusion, his volume growing as moved to crouch beside his future self. He received a nod as an answer.

"W-Was it him?" Harry asked anxiously, cautiously glancing at the man in front of them both. He received a grunt in protest as response. "W-who?" Harry mumbled as he took hold of his future self's hands, ignoring the looks of interest coming from all around them. "F-friends." Hadrian choked out, more tears spilling as he looked up, his eyes wide and impossibly green as some of the Death Eaters gasped at them. His eyes seemed to glow with pain. Harry's own eyes widened as tears also threatened to fall.

"W-who?" He asked again, hesitantly as met the green eyes that were almost identical to his own. There was so much pain, so much loss in those eyes. Nothing that Harry had ever seen in his own eyes apart from the certain occasions where he remembered his parents deaths. "F-friends. R-Ron a-and M-Mione-" Hadrian cut himself, tears falling freely to the ground as he stared at his younger self, who's lips had drawn into a hateful sneer.

"LIAR! NO! NO! That's not true!" Harry shouted as he stood, backing away from his future self, who was now seen as an imposter. "You're lying! How do I even know you're from the future? How do I know you're me?" Harry pleaded as he observed the man who looked like himself.

"I-We tried to keep food under the third floor board from the bed at the Dursley's but it was all found two weeks into the holiday after first year." Hadrian commented, staring at his silent past self who had gone white. "B-but...you..." Harry tried and yet his brain finally decided to see reason and the 14 year old started sobbing, falling ungracefully into the arms of his older self.

Voldemort watched the display in interest as he tried to decide what to do next. He couldn't help but think of what Hadrian had just said and why he- why _Harry Potter_ \- would need to keep food under floor boards. Voldemort hummed once again, bringing the two saviours out of their own worlds.

"What do you suppose we do now?" Voldemort asked the tearful 18 year old, who was watching him with wide eyes as tears fell down his cheeks.

"N-nothing. I-Harry will have nothing to do with the war. I won't let him be their pawn like I was." Hadrian gasped out, stuttering as he started becoming colder and realised his shredded T-shirt wasn't good enough protection for his body when in graveyards late at night.

Harry realised his future self was cold and took off his own outer robe, wrapping it around his older self as they both continued to silently cry. Harry was unnerved by this information yet couldn't do anything but accept what seemed to be the truth. Yet, this also meant that the first two friends he had ever had in his life, the ones that had been by his side through nearly everything for 3 years, weren't his true friends and would eventually murder him when he least expected it. The pain that he felt was indescribable, it felt like his whole being was being ripped apart again and again with no end...He couldn't imagine what his older self was feeling...

Hadrian drew in a breath as he wiped his tears away, sniffing as he turned to the young boy behind him. "Harry, you need to go back...You need to act as if everything is normal...That I was never here and that Voldemort came back after using your blood in a ritual...That Cedric...was murdered by a Death Eater after you were portkeyed to a Graveyard..." Hadrian managed as he repeated dried his eyes, wincing as he sat up further, gripping the boy by his shoulders. "I'll come and get you in a week. All exams will be cancelled and you'll be taken back to the Dursleys again. I'll come and get you straight away, I won't leave you with them okay?" Hadrian continued, his voice becoming louder and faster as he continued his reassurances and explaining the plan.

"B-but what will happen to you? I mean me? I mean..." The fourteen year old was clearly confused over the situation and most likely a bit traumatised. Hadrian forced a smile as he looked down at the boy who would have turned out just like him if Hadrian had not appeared.

"It's okay, I'll be fine. Also, you can call me Hadrian as that is now my name. Please don't get too confused, we were the same person for 14 years and you would most likely turn out to be like me by the time you were eighteen. However, I am here now and I won't let you go through anything else that ruined me. I'll keep you safe, okay?" Hadrian reassured as he patted Harry on the head and smiled softly, no longer faking it. Harry's eyes widened as they glistened with tears once again, nodding his head as the tears feel down his cheeks. "Okay." Harry agreed simply, not pushing the plan as he started to stand, only to be cut down by a mild stinging hex.

Hadrian reacted fast, his hand thrown out as he murmured a spell under his breath to make the guilty one fly back into a gravestone. His teeth clenched as his lips twisted into a sneer. "Anyone else want to try?" Hadrian asked, lifting his hand and watching from the corner of his eye as some men backed away.

The man smirked before turning towards the Dark Lord that he had killed in another world. "I will come with you and Harry will go back to Hogwarts where he will act out what I have said before being sent back...to his relatives. I will then go and get him and take him with me to wherever I end up being taken too. Although, if you feel the need to harm myself or Harry I will just kill you all like I did once before." Hadrian stated, his eyes a deadly green as he stared down at all of the death eaters in the graveyard. They cowed backwards and shivered, disturbed at the sight of the wide jade eyes staring them down. Hadrian stared at the newly reborn man, his eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what had changed from his world to create Tom Riddle instead of Lord Voldemort.

"Are we in agreement?" Hadrian asked, his tone expressing that no other plan except his own would be accepted by him. The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the smaller man in front of him, his eyes searching for something before he nodded dismissively and turned to the Death Eaters that had collected around the Graveyard, watching in confused curiosity as the time traveller ordered around their renowned Dark Lord.

"Everyone except Lucius Malfoy will leave immediately and not speak of this to anyone, not even your family members." Voldemort ordered the Death Eaters before they sped to follow, leaving quickly whilst casting hesitant looks at the future Boy-Who-Lived.

"We will leave immediately for the Malfoy Estate." Tom Riddle announced, an expectant look towards his follower and two the two boys on the ground. Hadrian fell out of his stupor at his plan being acknowledged by an apparent sane version of Lord Voldemort and quickly got up, Harry grabbing his one side helpfully as he almost fell over once again. Hadrian smiled at the boy before casting a panicked look over at his once sworn enemies.

"Harry, I don't know how I'll be treated and so I can't promise you that the plan will go through how I said it would but if I don't arrive at the Dursley's in the first week you're there, run. Don't even grab anything, just take your wand and run." Hadrian bent down slightly, grabbing the boy by his upper arms and forcing them to meet eye to eye. "I'm serious Harry. The Dursley's-Vernon- they get even worse. You need to run and don't look back. Just don't get caught." Hadrian warned, his eyes wide in panic as he tried to make his younger self believe the urgency of the situation. Harry's eyes widened and tears started forming in the corners of his eyes. "No, _no!_ Don't cry! They aren't _worth it_ Harry! Just do what I say and you'll be okay, it'll be no worse than usual for the first week but after...after-" Hadrian cut himself off, his eyes distant as they remembered his past and the memories clung to his tongue like sour sweets. "J-just do what I say, okay? Promise me, Harry! Promise!" Hadrian's words were spat out, urgent and panicked.

He ignored the stares that he received from his once sworn enemy and Lucius Malfoy and concentrated on his younger self. Harry, albeit a bit panicked himself, nodded rapidly as he stared at Hadrian. Hadrian then took a breath, loosening his vice like grip on Harry.

"I can promise you one thing, Harry." Hadrian commented, his voice soft as he glanced down at the young boy in front of him. Harry looked up, his bright green eyes glowing in the darkness.

"I won't ever be your future self." Hadrian promised, his smile remorseful and his eyes full of bitter and painful memories. Harry, feeling overly emotional for many reasons, started crying as he gazed up at Hadrian. The man smiled down at him, slowly moving his hands up to gently wipe the tears away from his younger self before pulling the boy close, hugging him gently.

"Be safe." Hadrian whispered, tightening his grip just a slight before pulling away and turning towards Lucius Malfoy. The Lord of the Malfoy Estate trembled as Hadrian looked at him, making the young man smirk and walk towards the human looking Dark Lord. He turned back, smiling gently at Harry as he portkeyed away.

"Right! Where to next?" Hadrian chirped, his sarcastic excitement making Lucius Malfoy grimace as he turned to His Lord, eyeing the man in confusion as he waited for an order. "Malfoy Manor, Lucius." The Dark Lord drawled, his tone bored but his eyes fixed on the time traveller, a gleam of interest in his blood red eyes that made Hadrian shiver. After they had portkeyed back to the Malfoy Estate, the Graveyard lay yet again undisturbed, the bones of a useless father once again forgotten and the alternate dimension drastically changed once again.

The figure, unexplainable in its appearance, smirked as he watched the proceedings. He had once again defied his adversary, LIFE, and found a way to change everything to the better. He was DEATH, the one thing that was absolute in LIFE, and yet he had once again fallen to the humans and their curiousity. They had ways to fight him, yes. But only few would ever survive him.

Harry Potter...

The-Boy-Who-Lived...

The Chosen...

Hadrian James Peverell Potter Black had survived DEATH.


	4. III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! Detail of injuries and small references to abuse. Mental heath problems are also referenced. Please do not read if you find any of this triggering for you.

Hadrian stumbled, disorientated by the Port key. He fell back into someone, their hands wrapping round his upper arms from the back to stop him from falling on his arse.

"Um, thanks." The young man mumbled, ignoring the Dark Lord that had caught him as he threw himself forward and away from the unknown and unreliable source of support. "I suppose you want me to explain now?" Hadrian asked, looking at the man who had once been the cause of his most feared nightmares.  
And yet, here he was different.

Hadrian couldn't explain it, but the difference between the snake maniac that he had once known and this man that was standing in front of him was unmistakable. The man hadn't once moved for his wand, almost as if he was predicting every single move that Hadrian would make. The man in front of him seemed too calm, too mentally stable and it was starting to give Hadrian the creeps.   
"I wonder, why do you not think that I won't just kill you right this moment?" Voldemort asked, his hands wrapping around his wand as he raised and pointed it at Hadrian's chest. Hadrian's eyes widened as the man went against what he had just thought and couldn't help but wince internally at the lack of judgement he actually had. He was being such a Gryffindor right now. The boy jerked slightly when the wand pressed against his chest, but didn't move out of the way.

"If you want to kill me, just do it. Don't make tedious threats, it's a waste of time." Hadrian frowned, eyeing the wand in his past enemies hand. Voldemort raised a delicate eyebrow, curiousity overwhelming the reborn man.

"And why do you suppose that it is just a threat?" The Dark Lord drawled, sounding remarkably like how a pureblood would speak.  
"I know you. Or at least I know a part of you. I knew you when you were so _insane_ that you would murder your own followers for no other reason than entertainment. Yet, he would still hesitate if he did not know something. Your curiosity and need to know everything in the world prevented a handful of deaths in my past, I'm hoping that you being your sane self in this alternate universe will only emphasise your inquisitiveness." Hadrian responded, remembering the few seconds he had had to kill the other Voldemort due to his distraction over the Elder wand. However, Hadrian stumbled back when he felt the man in front of him move closer towards him. "I suppose you are correct. This will be settled once you explain." Voldemort whispered, eerily close to Hadrian's ear. The young man shivered and took a step away from the once believed sane version of Voldemort. Hadrian was rather annoyed that he was questioning another judgement he had made.  
"Right, explaining. Could we possibly go to Gringotts before that? There's some things that I want to check." Hadrian asked, turning his jaded green eyes on the taller man in front of him. The Dark Lord nodded, albeit reluctantly, and pointed towards the fireplace. "Would you like to travel _that way_ or apparate?" The man asked, his expression ensuring his hatred for traveling through the Floo.

"I don't care." Hadrian responded simply, with a shrug of his shoulders. "My Lord. We could use the Malfoy Portkey if you wish?" Lucius spoke up hesitantly. Hadrian jumped, forgetting that the man was still in the room. "Yes, we shall use the Portkey." Voldemort responded, nodding towards Lucius as he pulled out a pendant. Hadrian walked towards the blonde man cautiously, gently touching the portkey before feeling a sickening sensation in his stomach that he would never get used too.  
The young man appeared the in the main area of the bank, cautious to not fall this time as he took in his surroundings, slightly dazed. He coughed awkwardly as he noticed both men waiting for him and walked towards the front desk. Hadrian bowed his head slightly in respect and was shocked when the Goblin bowed back. Hadrian frowned in confusion as the last time he had came to Gringotts, there had only been one Goblin who did more then scowl at him. Hadrian's lips then twisted upwards as he smiled happily at the goblin. "Griphook!" Hadrian called excitedly, happy to see the only Goblin that had actually helped him when he was a young, ignorant wizard. The goblin turned dramatically, his mouth agape and his oily face pulled tight into a shocked expression.

"How do you know my name when I do not know yours?" The goblin imposed, his tone suspicious. Hadrian pointedly ignored the looks from other shocked goblins in a similar state to Griphook and the intrigued looks he was victim too from the two dark wizards beside him.  
"I am the heir of the inevitable." Hadrian stated coldly and then blinked, registering what he said. He could hear the gasps that come from around him but he was too focused on what he had just said to register them at all. He felt a hand on his shoulder and flinched, the ripped top had fallen once again to reveal the damaged skin on his shoulder. He shivered as he stepped forward to avoid the touch and reached behind him to cover the bleeding injuries. He repressed his tears as he felt the engravements in his skin and let his hand fall back down to his side. He closed his eyes and cast a temporary healing spell on his shoulder and collarbone that would stop the bleeding. The cuts would remain open but he'd be able to bandage them up later.

Hadrian realised that he'd been standing silently and letting the goblin's gape at him for too long, he was getting too much attention of the wizards in the bank. "Could we continue this in private please?" Hadrian asked, his cold voice turning anxious as he felt the eyes on him. Griphook nodded quickly, a sadistic smirk filling his face and he turned swiftly and made a motion with his hand to make the three wizards follow.

\-----

As Hadrian entered the private room, he shivered as a cold feeling washed over him. He looked questioningly at the Goblin but the creature only raised a hairless eyebrow in response. Hadrian coughed then, coming to stand in front of the low desk that Griphook was sat behind. "I would like to do an inheritance test and a test to identify any spells that have been cast on me without my knowledge. Do you have one of them?" Hadrian asked, feeling nervous all of a sudden as the goblin suddenly smirked triumphantly and nodded. The goblin then opened the draw on his desk and pulled out a knife. The handle of the knife seemed to be made of a type of wood and had roses engraved into it, Hadrian reached over and his lips twitched in annoyance when the Goblin moved away again. "Take the knife over this bowl." Griphook ordered, pulling a small bowl and placing it under his outstretched hand. Hadrian nodded, his head tilted in confusion until he let out a gasp when he clasped his hand around the knife. The roses that were engraved into the wood seemed to emerge outwards and thorns stuck into his skin. Hadrian's gasp had caught the attention of the two other wizards in the room. Voldemort walked hastily over to the older version of the-boy-who-lived. Lucius' lip twitched as he took in the sight of the boy bleeding over a bowl. Out of nowhere, a piece of script appeared inside the bowl, small droplets of Hadrian's blood falling onto it and text appearing from nowhere. After about two minutes of bleeding over the script, the text stopped forming. The room was silent and Lucius let out a hum of appreciation at the amount of power the boy-who-had-appeared-out-of-nowhere had. It was rare that the script would ever take two minutes to stop forming. His own inheritance test had only taken half the amount of time. Unfortunately for him, Hadrian seemed to not even realise the meaning of this and snatched up the text the moment the Goblin took the knife away from his hand. The thorns relented, unsticking from the boy's flesh and slowly forming back into an engravement.

Hadrian's eyes glistened in triumph as he read the details. He raised the script as a silent offer towards the two dark wizards in the room.

_Name: Hadrian James Peverell Potter Black_  
_Mother: Lily Potter nee Evans (Deceased)_  
_Father: James Potter (Deceased)_  
_Godfather: Sirius Black (Alive)_  
_Godmother: Alice Longbottom (Insane)_  
_Lordships:_  
_Potter (Paternal)_  
_Peverell (Paternal)_  
_Slytherin (Conquest/ Joint Lord)_  
_Gryffindor (conquest/Paternal)_  
_Black (Joint Lord)_

Lucius gasped in shock at the amount of money the boy had. Voldemort turned to the lord, raising an eyebrow, his lips twisted in slight amusement at his follower's reaction. Hadrian looked unbothered, as if he had seen the results once before. Voldemort's lips turned down as he registered that Hadrian had taken down his alternate self in the past. The joint lordship of Slytherin recognised his conquest even if it had been in an alternative world.  
"Next, any registered magic that has been cast on you without your knowledge will show."

_Love potions - (980) - Given by Ginevra Weasley and Molly Weasley. (Cast towards Ginevra Weasley)_  
_Loyalty Potions - (1000) - Given by Albus Dumbledore, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. (Cast towards the Givers, The Order of the Phoenix and The Dursleys)_  
_Hate potions - (823) - Given by Albus Dumbledore, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Molly Weasley and Ginevra Weasley. (Cast towards Slytherins, Tom Marvolo Riddle, Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape.)_  
_Mistrust potions - (200) - Given by Albus Dumbledore, Hermione Granger, Ginevra Weasley, Molly Weasley and Ron Weasley. (Towards all adults and peers)_  
_Submissive potion - (150) - Given by Albus Dumbledore, Hermione Granger, Ginevra Weasley and Molly Weasley. (Cast towards Albus Dumbledore, The Dursley's Household and Molly Weasley._  
_Secrecy Potion - (100) - Given by Albus Dumbledore and Hermione Granger. (Cast towards self, makes consumer reluctant to speak their secrets.)_  
_Compulsion spells and Obliviates - 2788 - Cast by Albus Dumbledore, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley and Molly Weasley._  
_Healing Potions - 1573 - Given by Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Petunia Dursley and Hermione Granger._

Hadrian eyes dulled as he read the script, once again taking in the betrayals that he had faced all of his life without knowing. "That," Hadrian spat as he threw the script into the faces of the two dark wizards, "Is why Harry will never take part in this pathetic war!" Hadrian shivered in rage, his magic growing under his skin like a constant itch.

Voldemort and Lucius both felt the magic pressurising into the sir and calmed their own tempers from being poorly insulted by the raging wizard. Lucius lifted the script to read it as Voldemort clenched his hands into fists to control his rage, his eyes glowing bright red. "My Lord, would you read this?" Lucius asked the Dark Lord, who snapped out of his rage and looked over at his follower to see the script hanging delicately from his hand. The man himself had gone pale, even paler then he usually was. His eyes were dilated in shock and rage and a sneer was present on his aristocratic face. His posture was rigid as the man stared at Hadrian with a strange look of awe. Lucius had known that the young man was powerful, yes. He had been able to stand in front of many Death Eaters in the graveyard whilst injured and trying to protect his own younger self. He had stood there and advanced on them whilst limping without even a hesitant step. Lucius was then broken out of his thoughts when His Lord sighed in annoyance, a hand coming to brush his hair away from his face as he took the piece of script from his followers outstretched hand.

Hadrian's eyes widened as he took in the humanly action and couldn't settle the build of anxiousness that was forever present in his chest since he had arrived in the alternate world. He hated, no despised, how human Voldemort was appearing to him. When, in his past experiences, there was nothing human that could ever be found within that _thing_. Voldemort's eyes scanned the paper as his eyes began to glow eerily red once again, his barely concealed rage from before and came back with a vengeance and once he had finished reading the script, he had to close his eyes in order to calm himself before he blew up The Goblin's territory. That one mistake would most obviously cost him his life, it was under no assumption of his that the Goblin's had enough power to kill all the Wizards in half of England in they wished. That was just through their power of the economy. If they decided too, they could let the economy crash and Wizards would be bankrupt and starving before they could even find a way to fight back.

Hadrian stood then, his posture steel as he took in the pair of rage-filled faces. Griphook walked quietly up to the man who still had his eyes closed and trying to control his temper and slipped the script from his hands. The Goblin let out a grumble of protest as he started reading and growled when he continued reading. Griphook shook with his own rage and fastened his pace towards his desk where he reached for a key that seemed to be embedded in his desk. As he pulled it out, a low wailing siren filled the room and a few seconds late, two other Goblins filed into the room. One, obviously a female Goblin, was dressed in a white medical blazer that seemed similar to the attire that a Muggle Doctor would wear. The other was male, and was wearing similar attire, although it was as black as night. The two Goblins walked over to Griphook and both bowed.

"We were called for medical assistance?" The female goblin questioned, appearing to want confirmation from Griphook. The tired and resentful Goblin only nodded sharply and turned towards Hadrian. "He has thousands of compulsion charms in his system. He also has traces of a number of different potions to alter his personality at different quantities." Griphook stated, getting into business as he walked over to a far wall in his office and knocked on it twice. The wall seemed to respond and hesitant shook as it opened to reveal what seemed to be a ritual chamber.

"What's going on?" Hadrian asked in alarm, shock and fear pulling his usually bright face into a darker frown. The female Goblin took in the boy and turned to look at the list of spells and potions within his system.

" think we should complete a more in depth search of anything that could possibly get in the way of him healing internally." She spoke as if considering possible routes to follow next and Hadrian straightened even more, his tenseness must have been noticed as Lucius and Voldemort both appeared by his sides in seconds. "To introduce ourselves, my name is Limehall and this is my apprentice, Moonspruce. We need to perform an emergency ritual on you. The amount of potions within your system has become a strain to your magic core. They have been used so many times that your personality has also been altered because of them. They need to be cleared before further damage can be done to your magical core." The female goblin explained in a calm but tense voice. Hadrian's eyes widened as he grabbed the list because out of the hands of the female Goblin.  
"So…so what does that mean for me?" Hadrian asked hesitantly, his voice trembling in fear as he looked down at all the potions and charms that had been cast on him.

  
"Well, we'll need to erase all of the ones that did harm to your system. That seems to be them all except the Healing Potions. For a wizard, healing potions are a very common thing to find on this script. Wizard's Family and friends tend to slip potions into their food or drink when they don't realise or are being stubborn. Now, everything else needs to be broken. It seems that the secrecy potions, mistrust potions and submissive potions have not been administered very often. That may be because you already had some of those traits before they started giving them to you and they took effect quickly because of this. Now, the Loyalty, Love and Hate potions have all been administered to a maximum amount. This is most likely due to your reluctance to accept them. Those are the ones that we will need to rid you of before we can heal your magical core. The compulsion spells cast on you only last a short period of time so they will not have a permanent effect on you. However, once we get rid of the obliviates, you will have your memories back from the events that have been erased." Limehall scowled in annoyance as she double checked over the list before looking up at the wizard. Hadrian was a sickly pale as he realised the extent of his past betrayals. He looked ready to be sick and had took to folding his arms around his stomach, almost as if he was protecting himself. He shivered once again, the aftershocks of the Cruciatus curse still making his own nerves spasm under his skin.

Moonspruce narrowed his small and blunt eyes as he took in the symptoms before taking in the young man's appearance. He had dried blood covering a large portion of his front and back, but his clothes were dark so it was hard to see.  
"We need to heal his injuries first." Moonspruce announced, his voice echoing quietly in the large empty office. Limehall looked towards her apprentice in confusion before looking back at the wizard and letting out a sharp breath. If she was human, it would have sounded like a gasp. She inwardly swore up a storm. the female medic Goblin had been focused on explaining that she hadn't actually taken a proper look at the wizard she would be treating.  
"Of course. Lord Peverell Potter Black, may I heal your injuries?" Moonspruce asked softly. Hadrian raised an eyebrow, deciding whether to trust the too friendly goblin. He let out a half-hearted nod when he felt both dark wizards clasp a hand each on both of his shoulders. He winced when Voldemort's hand brushed over his wound on his shoulder.

"You've been exposed to the Cruciatus Curse have you not?" Moonspruce inquired as he reached for a small bottle within a magical trunk that he had summoned. "Y-yes." Harry stammered out, his eyes widened in alarm as he looked around for a way to leave if need be.

"You will feel better after taking this potion. It will reduce the aftershocks of the spell and heal your nerves partially. The rest will be healed by your magic." The goblin explained, offering the potion up to the wizard. Hadrian gave it a curious glance before turning to look at the other wizards. When they nodded, he went to take the bottle from the hand and unclasped the top. He'd realised that if anyone knew if the Cruciatus curse had a potion that would dampen the aftershock pain, it would be two dark wizards who had both cast the curse more than a few times in their life. He placed the bottle to his lips and drank the potion in one. Immediately, the shivering that had taken over his body disappeared and he felt a rush of relief flow through his body. "I'd also believe that you have at least some internal bleeding due to the blood all over you clothes. This potions will help stop the bleeding for now until we can heal you properly after the ritual." Limehall took over, her apprentice nodding as he grabbed the potion and handed it to Hadrian, who once again drank the potion. This time grimacing at the taste as he shuddered slightly from the sluggish texture of the potion. Hadrian stumbled back, his legs giving out for a second as he felt himself go light headed for a moment. Thankfully, the two dark wizards hadn't let go of his shoulder's yet, and simply gripped on him to prevent him from falling.

This however, made Hadrian hiss as he stumbled out of Voldemort's grasp and fell to the floor, gently clasping a hand gently over his shoulder, holding what was left of the material of his dirtied t-shirt to the injury. Moonspruce crouched as well, clicking her tounge against the top of his mouth. "If you keep covering it, you'll get it infected with all that dirt." The female goblin stated simply, waving her hand as she made the material disintegrate. She didn't expect the wizard to instantly stand and try to run, covering his injury with his hands, making it bleed once again. Griphook eyes widened when he realised what was going on. He coughed as he walked over to the man. "Nobody here will doubt you for your scars, Hadrian." Griphook mentioned, hoping to help the man from making his injuries worse due to panicking. He saw the boy quickly dart his eyes over to the two other wizards in the room before he forced them shut, tears of rage falling from his eyes.  
"Out." Griphook ordered, looking over at the two wizards in the room.  
"N-" Lucius started, clearly annoyed at being addressed and instructed so firmly by a lowly creature like a Goblin. Moonspruce and Griphook both offered the man deadly glares and bared their pointed teeth.  
"We cannot improve his health until you two leave. If you stay, he could die from his injuries. Now, I don't care who you are or why you’re here. You will leave this room until I tell you, you can come back in. Did I make myself clear?" The small medical-apprentice goblin who had seemed so irrelevant in the conversation earlier on. However, a goblin's rage should not be tested and Voldemort could easily tell when and where he could do what he wanted, regardless of others' opinions. He may be powerful, bit he was not stupid. To test the patience of one Goblin was to test the patience of all of them.   
The Dark Lord nodded shortly, making Lucius look at him incredulously before realising his mistake and covering it with a bow and hurried steps towards the door. When Lucius turned away, Voldemort couldn't help but smirk at the blonde's attitude. He reminded him of his old companion from school, Abraxas Malfoy. As Voldemort nodded in dismissal towards the three Goblin's and met the wide emerald eyes of the Jaded-Boy-Who-Lived, he let his mind wonder off to a place where it hadn't for a long time. He thought of his once close companions. The people that had followed him first and had joined him in trying to change the Wizarding World. He noticed that the eyes of this _Hadrian_ were darker then the ones of his younger self. Voldemort absentmindedly brushed his fringe away from his face once again, making Hadrian stare at his movements silently as he slowly relaxed from his once tense position.

Voldemort and Hadrian exchanged one last look.

Neither could explain what was happening right then in that moment. What were the emotions they were trying to express or hide away from each other.

Why Hadrian had been brought here in the first place? Had it been the spell he had used? Or was it the mysterious figure that he remembered speaking to in a place where neither time or space exists?

Hadrian had questions and so did Voldemort. Neither would back down from finding the answers.

Thus, they both shared that one final look, filled with no emotions except a million different ones.

Then Voldemort nodded dismissively at the young man before he turned elegantly and left the office, leaving the room as silent as it had been during their exchange. Hadrian remained where he had been sitting in his panic, absently tugging on his sleeve self consciously as the Goblins moved to surround him. They were still as quiet as they had been during the Dark Lord's dismissal. He looked at each of them and found them all exchanging strange looks.

He felt stupid.

Idiotic.

He had no idea what he was doing, what he would do next or in the future, but he knew one thing that he would promise himself.

He would make sure that Harry would never be fooled _again_. 


	5. IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Thank you for all the love that everyone's been giving my story!  
> I just wanted to let you know that I'll be updating every Friday and sometimes I'll also update on another day of the week as well. If i miss an update, I'll make sure to get the chapter out as soon as possible.  
> Anyway, WARNING! Abuse and Injury references. Please do not read if either of these topics are triggering for you.

As the two dark wizards left Griphook's office, Hadrian let out a stuttering breath that he didn't realise he had been holding. He nodded towards the two Goblin's that had been brought In to heal him and they both shuffled to take a closer look at his collarbone. Moonspruce scowled in disgust, sneering at the behaviour at the so-called sophisticated wizards. 

"We will heal it, but it will not disappear," Limehall stated firmly, her own disgust not folded so plainly onto her face. She had seen many injuries of wizard's before but rarely ever were they done by other wizards. She had often had times where she had to heal people who had gone against the Goblin Race or tried to steal. Most of them didn't survive past the second day. 

Other times she would have to heal shameless and arrogant wizards who got themselves injured trying to fight magical beasts because they thought that they were better than them. Thankfully, Limehall supposed that they were proved wrong with the damage that they exposed themselves due to their own ignorance. As they healed the word that was embedded into his skin, Hadrian looked over at the far wall. He hadn't wanted anyone to see it. He felt ashamed. He had always been told that he was a Freak, but he could always forget it when he left the Dursleys. Now, the reminder was constant and wouldn't ever leave him. 

"We are all done fixing you up. Would you please go and lie down on the ritual stone? I do have to warn you that this will be painful due to the amount of damage your core has taken. It may knock you out for a while as well." Limehall stated, conveying the fact that she had explained this ritual countless times to other wizards. For a second, Hadrian wanted to know how many other people were manipulated and influenced without their knowing. He stood, his legs trembling due to nervousness rather than an after effect of The Cruciatus Curse this time around. He walked into the room that had been opened by Griphook and gave his bank manager a nervous smile before lying down of the cool stone that was in the centre of the room. His muscles were tense as he took in the beautiful decorations of the roof. They seemed to be the only decoration within the room as it was a blank grey room with only the stone in the centre of it. Hadrian breathed in slowly and tried to get his muscles to relax as he settled down further, almost as if he were going to sleep. 

Limehall and Moonspruce were preparing and were placing stones and crystals around the stone that Hadrian was lying on. As Limehall placed the last crystal down, Hadrian felt a pull in his chest. It made him want to cough or breath harshly and yet Limehall told him to hold his breath and stay still. "I'm afraid this will be where it starts to hurt." Moonspruce apologised gruffly, the usual soft tone of his voice that was so different from other Goblins that Hadrian had met before, had turned sour. turned sour as he slowly leaned over the crystals that were placed on the floor, careful not to step over them and break the circle. "Take this stone Hadrian and focus your magic on it." Moonspruce directed to the young wizard who hesitantly took the stone, wincing in pain as soon as he did. "it's Amethyst. The crystal will help you direct your magic as we heal it through the stone. It also has some healing properties. It will help heal the damage that has been done to your magical core. It may not heal it completely, but it may help you after the cleansing." Limehall interrupted, hoping the information would help the young man from becoming worried and even tenser. Hadrian nodded, clenching his hand around the stone crystal and shutting his eyes tightly and focused on his magic. He drew on what he knew to be his own magic, the pull beginning to put more pressure on his chest as he centred himself and his magical core. He felt the power surround him, taking the form of the same flames that had once seen his near-death before, in another life. Suddenly, Hadrian let out a tortured scream as his body spasmed madly across the stone that he lay on. 

\----

The Entity danced along the walls of the bank elegantly as it circled the most secure building in the English wizarding world. His lips turned down as he heard the screams that floated through the walls. The silence wards that were placed around the Ritual room did not affect  _ this _ Entity. 

No magic within this land would ever have any effect on  _ this _ entity. 

_ This _ Entity would always be more powerful. 

Nothing escaped the inevitable. 

\---

Hadrian's eyes fluttered open, the light of the room making them close shut once again as his hands moved to grasp the bedsheets around him and pull them to himself tighter. He heard a deep chuckle and his eyes shot open with a start as Hadrian stumbled to sit up. Unconsciously, his hand moved towards where the bedside table would be before his foggy mind remembered that he no longer needed his ugly glasses anymore. 

He rubbed at his eyes, a frown forming on his face as he registered the unwelcome presence of a headache. "You'll need this." The same deep voice that had laughed at him before pointed out as the hand of the person passed a cup full of water to Hadrian. Hadrian's frown deepened as he realised how dry his mouth was; looking down at the drink, he moved slowly to take it gently from the offered hands. "Thank you," Hadrian responded politely after he had taken a few sips of the chilled water. "My pleasure." The voice stated softly, making Hadrian shiver as he realised who it was. Hadrian looked up. His vision blurred once his eyes became victim to the bright light that the room was engulfed in 

"It's you, isn't it?" Hadrian asked softly; his voice was still hoarse from all of his screams. 

He winced internally as he remembered the vicious stabbings that had taken over his body in that one moment, paralysing him with the pain that had felt like his whole body had been shattered. The pain had been as shocking and sudden as his experience with his once best friend. The emotional and physical pain had felt tripled in that one moment. Then, it had all disappeared and he had been left in a numb state. 

The terrifying numbness that meant that you couldn't even shiver the slightest, the loss of any feeling or sense that left you utterly lost and reminded you of  _ every _ _ single _ moment in your life when you had felt even the slightest bit like that. 

_ That.  _ The reminder that that was what he had been like as a child _ ,  _ had made him scream even louder, his screams had continued until he could no longer scream anymore. 

He was sure that that had been when he had begun to cry. Pitiful and painful sobs that made the atmosphere even more isolating and numb then it had been before. The remainder of that feeling lingered and he felt drawn back into the memories of his childhood. His  _ sad _ , pitiful __ childhood where he had had never experience a soft touch or a comforting word of any adult that had been given the role to  _ care  _ for him. 

Hadrian jumped, his head aching as he felt something touching his lips. "Drink this. The Goblin said it would help." Voldemort stated, his eyes examining the man before him as he offered the potion over to him, placing it at his lips as the young wizard moved to grab the bottle safely before pulling his hand away in shock when he realised that Voldemort's hand had just touched his own. "It didn't hurt," Hadrian mumbled in shocked awe, looking down at his hands as if they weren't even his own. "Hurt?" Voldemort asked, trying to disguise his interest with dismissiveness. Hadrian coughed awkwardly. "Your other-self. It hurt when he touched me. Especially my scar." the young wizard explained, equally dismissive. His hand hovering as if he wanted to wave away his past experiences. 

"Hmm, you're not as secretive. I can see that the ritual worked." Limehall answered, her sudden presence making Hadrian startle and cough when the potion was poured into his mouth. He spluttered before forcing himself to swallow it. Hadrian turned a vicious glare onto Voldemort as the boy used his nightgown sleeve to wipe his lips. 

"What the bloody hell was that for?" Hadrian asked sharply as he narrowed his eyes on the man. Voldemort raised an eyebrow, an unknown look appearing on his face. Hadrian waited for a response, yet he was never deemed one and Limehall ran out of patience. "It's good to know you're healthy once again. We had a large amount of difficulty unravelling the loyalty potions from your core. Thankfully, the hate and love potions unravelled quite easily. It seemed that your core had already started loosening them before you had arrived. You've been out for five days so-" Limehall was interrupted as the young man whipped his head up, looking at her with a seriousness engraved into his features. 

"Five days? Are you sure?" Hadrian asked, moving to uncover himself and placing his feet on the opposite side of the bed to where Voldemort was sitting. "Yes. I am well aware of how to count the number of days." Limehall responded, her curt response suggesting she had taken some offence. Hadrian winced, a frown making it onto his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I'm just worried about someone. I need to go and get him." Hadrian rushed out, placing some shoes on his feet and he wrapped the robe around himself to hide his nightgown. "You will not be going anywhere, Lord Peverell. You have just woken up from a five-day coma due to magical interference and core damage." Limehall instructed her hands placed on her hips, reminding Hadrian of Mrs Weasley before he shook the thought away. "I need to go. I'll be right back. I'm sure he'll also need help from you." Hadrian countered quickly, his feet rushing to try and avoid the motherly Goblin. Her shoulder's seemed to fall, accepting the answer and nodding towards him. 

"He will go with you," Limehall ordered, pointing at Voldemort who had also stood and was watching the countering conversation with an interested gleam in his eye. The man said nothing, neither affirming the order nor disagreeing with it. His eyes caught Hadrian's emerald eyes, holding the young lord in a stare that made the young man shiver as he felt himself be studied by the more intelligent wizard. The man elegantly began to walk to the entrance of the office. "I will be back with him later," Voldemort assured, making Limehall deflate and visibly relax. She nodded back once, dismissing them both. 

With that final nod, the two Lords left the bank, their robes fluttering in the air behind them as if they were dancing on top of their combined power. 


	6. V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger! References to mental health issues and violence.  
> Hi! Almost forgot :)  
> I'll be updating every Friday and (sometimes) one other day of the week.  
> Enjoy!

Hadrian and Voldemort left the bank quickly, both silent as they walked down the street. "We need to apparate." Voldemort pointed out, knocking Hadrian out of his previous thoughts. "Right. I'll have to apparate us both since you haven't been there before." Hadrian realised, wincing in discomfort at the thought of letting Voldemort touch him willingly. Voldemort raised a single eyebrow, his red eyes making a few people jump in fright when he looked over at them. Hadrian stopped himself from smiling at the scene; wizards were real cowards.

"Just hold onto my arm." Hadrian requested quietly, embarrassed at the fact that he was nervous at travelling with someone who he had once killed. 

Hadrian then realised something that he hadn't thought about yet. Had he killed this Voldemort? Was he the same person as the insane, rash and evil humanoid creature he had once killed?

Hadrian internally shook his head in confusion. 

This Voldemort- this world - was all different. Well, that wasn't completely true. Not everything was different, key parts of his life had transferred onto this one as well. Hadrian didn't understand why Voldemort was different. 

Why were his followers unusually offbeat yet similar as they had been in his world? The main characteristic of Death Eaters that Hadrian could remember from his many encounters with each of them, was that they were cowards. Hadrian believed them to at least still have this trait as he had confirmed that fact when they had all backed away from him when in the Graveyard when he had first appeared. Or maybe it had been self-preservation? Hadrian would have to look into the difference between the two since he'd been dosed with too many potions to stop himself from putting himself in dangerous situations. The only individuals that hadn't gotten too frightened were Lucius and the no-name that Hadrian had knocked out after he had thrown a hex at Harry. 

Then there was Voldemort, who hadn't even moved when Hadrian had first appeared in the graveyard. He had stood there and watched everything going on around him with a contemplative look on his face. At that moment, Hadrian had wanted anything more then to punch him and get rid of the peaceful look that the man had on his face. Hadrian supposed the main reason that he hadn't was that the shock from everything that had happened in only a little amount of time had finally gotten to his head and caused his body to pause and process everything. His brain hadn't processed what had been right in front of him at first. It hadn't been until he'd been right in front of the man that he had realised. 

A human Tom Riddle stood in place of the monster he had expected to be there.   
Who had once stood there and tortured him.

Hadrian was brought of his musings when a hiss of annoyance caught his attention, his hand automatically going for his wand until he realised who the person was.   
"What?" Hadrian bit out, his irritation flaring.   
"We have somewhere to be." Voldemort reasoned patiently, making Hadrian tip his head to the side in surprise, his mouth hanging open just the barest bit in surprise.   
"R-right," Hadrian replied quickly when he gathered his thoughts, biting his bottom lip to hide his embarrassment once again. He sighed in annoyance before nodding to himself. Ignoring his own disappointment that he had to sike himself up just to let someone touch his arm, even if it was Voldemort of people.   
Voldemort obviously took his nod as a signal to grab onto him, placing his hand cautiously on Hadrian's upper arm and surprisingly, ignoring the flinch that came from the younger wizard as soon as he was touched. For the first time since the young man had appeared mysteriously, Voldemort realised how small the Boy-Who-lived truly was. He had said that he was 18 years old, nearly 19. So why did it seem that his body hadn't aged past 16 years old?

\----

Hadrian and Voldemort in a clear and normal muggle neighbourhood. Hadrian immediately grimaced in disgust as he looked around at the area of which had once been where he had survived. He had never lived here. He had never had a childhood here. What little of his childhood he had, had started once he had gotten his Hogwart's letter. Even then, he was too busy chasing down dangerous adults or animals that he hadn't had much time to be a child. To be normal.

"This, is where the 'Harry Potter' lives?" Voldemort asked suspiciously, his frown of confusion appearing so utterly human that Hadrian would have taken a step away from him if the older wizard had removed his hand from Hadrian's arm.   
"Afraid so." Hadrian drawled back, using sarcasm as his defence to cover up his apprehension at being back in this neighbourhood and his discomfort with Voldemort's hand still gently holding his arm. Voldemort took a look around the area, his eyes narrowing at how out of place a wizard would be when living here. The area was almost too clean, too empty.   
"Let's go," Hadrian stated, pulling his arm out of the older man's grasp and trudging down the street, reluctantly.   
Voldemort stayed standing where he was for a moment, unused to the actions of someone deciding to walk in front of him with his back turned. A smirk split onto the Dark Lord's face, his red eyes glistening with a newfound interest as the man began to walk down the street as well, his steps determined and unrushed. 

\-----

"He'll be at the park," Hadrian stated, not waiting for a response from the other wizard as he passed the same houses again and again.   
"It's just at the bottom of the street." Hadrian continued, clearly indecisive on if he wanted to start a conversation or not.   
Voldemort watched the young wizard from the corner of his eyes, watching as his facial expression went from confusion, anger, resentment and the worry. Clearly, the boy was still dealing with some degree of shock as he hadn't really sorted out or explained anything before he had been put into a healing sleep for several days.   
"Will you have Harry Potter take the same tests as you did?" Voldemort asked, his voice passive as he absentmindedly watched a few birds fly over the roofs of the plain houses.   
Voldemort shuddered in disgust once more.   
How utterly boring of a place.   
This was not a place where The Saviour would be able to grow to his best abilities. He got knocked out of thoughts quite suddenly when a shout of "Hadrian!" rang through the air. His head shot up, his hand already positioned with his wand, ready to hex and possibly kill anyone around him that posed a threat.   
"Hadrian!" The voice called out once more, making Voldemort look in the direction of the sound. There, in all of his glory and oversized clothes, was Harry-Bloody-Potter...holding his wand to a frightened muggle's throat. 

\---  
"I can explain-"  
"No need. I already know." Hadrian responded simply, gesturing with his hand that he understood. Hadrian turned to look at the younger version of his cousin.  
"I know muggles are behind Cousin, but being homophobic is just pathetic." Hadrian reasoned calmly, a small smirk filtering onto his face when a look of confusion past over his cousin's features. "C-cousin?" The blond boy asked, his tiny eyes wide in horror.  
"Can you not tell? I know I look different but I'd hoped that someone who I'd lived with for so many years would be able to recognise me." Hadrian reasoned, his smile growing wider the paler the other boy got. Dudley's friends, who had seemed to realise the strange and horror inducing situation, ran off screaming 'Time Travel'. Hadrian let out a bitter chuckle as he stared at the other boy for a few more seconds before turning to Harry. "How are you?" He asked, his smile twisting back into a sympathetic, smaller one. 

" 'M fine," Harry assured automatically, not actually registering the question. Hadrian hummed to himself before prying Harry's wand from his hand, that had lay limp at his side since he'd been caught by Hadrian. "Who's that?!" Dudley exclaimed, frightened. "I-is that another-another…" Dudley trailed off, unsure how to ask such a question as he hastily stepped away from the three figures. "Who's who?-" Harry asked, turning away from his cousin for the first time to double-check his older cousin wasn't hallucinating. Harry also stepped back, following his cousin as he saw who was walking up to them. "Wh-why is he here?!" Harry hissed at Hadrian, his trepidation making him forget that Hadrian still had his wand as he went to grab it from his back pocket. "Give me my wand!" harry shouted, his fear showing as his hand reached out for his wand that lay contently in Hadrian's hand. Hadrian pulled his hand away from the boy so he couldn't reach his wand and smiled softly.  
"There's no need to be scared Harry, he won't hurt you," Hadrian reassured softly, a level of warning sent to the Dark Lord that’s suggested he'd be unable to hurt them all even if he wanted too.  
"Besides, we need to leave," Hadrian ordered, remembering his past experience here and what had almost killed both his cousin and himself. 

Harry looked up, startled at the sudden order before hesitantly nodding. He shuffled unconfidently over Hadrian, standing closer to him due to the small amount of space between the young boy and the Dark lord that had killed his parents and was deadly powerful. He wasn't completely sure of his actions and could easily be exploited due to his willingness to go with his future self. But he wasn't stupid and he would always trust himself more than the Dursleys.

He was interrupted by his cousin letting out a piercing scream. "STOP! What are you doing?! Stop it, you Freaks!" Harry looked up, flinching at how he was addressed and realised that Hadrian had also flinched. Confused, he realised his cousin was screaming about how dark it had gotten all of a sudden. He looked over at Hadrian and Voldemort and they both seemed to be communicating silently, boredom etched into their faces. "It-it isn't us." Harry stammered out, pushing himself to relax a little when he received an assured look from Hadrian. 

"Dementors," Hadrian explained, ignoring the incredulous looks he was receiving from Dudley and how both Harry and himself had tensed at the thought of the dark and fear-inducing creatures. "Stay still, don't move," Voldemort ordered to the three others, his tone making both Harry and Dudley freeze in their positions and making Hadrian tilt his head to the side. "You can cast the Patronus Charm?" Hadrian asked, mocking the Dark Lord. Voldemort turned to look at the man, the amused tone making Voldemort suddenly defensive of himself.  
"I'm a Dark Lord. The Patronus Charm is one of the lightest spells in the wizarding world. Are you that intellectually challenged that you didn't link that together?" Voldemort responded, his tone sarcastic as he looked at the younger man. Hadrian's amused smirk had fallen into a scowl as he measured the Dark Lord with a glare.  
"However smart I am, I still managed to kill you," Hadrian argued, ignoring how Voldemort's body tensed and that air went cold. No, It wasn't the dementors.  
"I would be careful with what you say," Voldemort threatened, his tone icy as he measured a sneer at the older wizard before turning a warning glance towards the two boys in the circle. "I wouldn't want someone to get hurt because you couldn't be quiet." Voldemort continued, measuring a glare on all three individual's, a satisfied smirk falling onto his lips when he noticed them all tense up. 

"Shut your mouth!" Hadrian hissed, his resentment for the man showing for the first time since he had arrived here. Voldemort raised an eyebrow, however, he didn't seem bothered or intimated by Hadrian's shouting. Harry and Dudley were both stood tensely, watching as the two stood silently and glared at each other. 

However, the expected dark creatures had arrived and Harry flinched back as soon as the Dementors noticed them. Dudley was looking around in confusion, tense when he realised that his cousin was near panicking.  
"What?" Dudley asked in exasperated confusion, looking around and noticing how it had gotten even darker.  
"They're here," Hadrian announced, remembering that Dudley couldn't see them.  
And then they were hit.  
A pull from within them all, forcefully taking all positive emotions from their bodies as they relived the worse moments of their lives.  
Harry let out a cry, staggering back but raising his wand. "Expecto Patronum!" He shouted, forcing himself to imagine happy memories of the stories of his parents rather than his mother's death. One of the dementors let out a screech and flew back, retreating from the darkened park. Harry then turned to look at Hadrian, a smile on his face as they had beaten two dementors, only to realise that the sky hadn’t gotten lighter. 

As soon as they had been hit with sucking feeling that Dementors seemed to use to steal all your precious feelings and emotions, Hadrian stumbled under the weight of negative emotions that built within him. He looked over to see that Voldemort had remained standing, looking unbothered by the presence of the Dementors. However, the two Dementors seemed to ignore them both, directing their attention to Dudley and Harry. Hadrian raised his own wand, ignoring his negative memories that were passing through his mind in a pace that would leave him with a migraine afterwards. "Expecto Patronum!" Hadrian mustered out, his energy drained as even more pressure built in his chest. Yet, nothing happened.  
No bright light.  
No Prongs.  
Nothing.  
Hadrian froze in panic. Why wasn't it working? Why couldn't he produce the Patronus Charm? He stepped back, trying to escape from the negativity that was starting to overwhelm his senses. He heard a second shout of the charm from his left, recognising it as Harry's voice before his mind went blank, panic tipping into his thoughts and he realised that he could no longer produce the Patronus Charm.  
He couldn't trust his own memories and life to recognise any of them as happy anymore.  
He didn't have any happy memories powerful enough to produce Prongs.  
He didn't-he couldn't-  
Hadrian fell to the floor in shock, the fog in his head clearing as the last Dementor was taken care of by Harry.  
He didn't want to believe it. He couldn't believe it.  
"I…You can't do the Patronus Charm anymore?" Harry asked, his voice soft as he bent down to crouch beside Hadrian. Hadrian looked up, startled. His eyes started welling up with tears as he shook his head in protest.  
"I-I can. I-I can-" Hadrian tried, not knowing who he was trying to convince as his tears started falling down his face.  
"You can't." Voldemort challenged, his red eyes gleaming with interest as he stared down at the young wizard of the floor.  
"You can no longer produce the Patronus Charm." Voldemort reasoned, before startling the three individuals as he gently grabbed the younger man's arm and pulled him off the ground. The boy shook his head in protest, prying the Dark Lord's hand off of his arm.  
"Let's go to the Dursleys," Hadrian suggested, wiping his tears away from his emerald eyes quickly and smiling softly at his younger self and cousin.  
"Let's go." Hadrian prompted softly, circling his arms round himself in a gesture of comfort for himself.  
"Ok," Harry responded, his own voice hoarse and eyes wet from seeing his elder self so lost in despair.  
Dudley nodded dumbly and Voldemort watched the three of them slowly walk away and out of the park.  
The man's eyes narrowed, the ruby colouring of them giving them a glow in the darkness that still lingered within the park. His eyes traced over the three figures before settling on the eldest one.  
Hadrian Potter.  
He was a riddle.  
And Voldemort was especially talented at finishing riddles.


	7. VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thanks to everyone who likes the story so far! Hope you enjoy it!  
> WARNING! Abuse references, mental health references and violence. Do not read if you find any of these things triggering to you.

Number 4 Privet Drive stood in its usual normal glory. As soon as the four individuals reached the front of the garden, the largest of the four let out a shout and ran to the front door, banging on the dark wood with a mighty fist. The door opened, Dudley stumbling forward as he lost balance.

"Duddy-Kins, what's the matter?" Petunia asked, mystified. She stood in a pink apron, that was wrapped around her waist, her hair was done up in her usual style. Her nasal voice made both Harry and Hadrian frown in disgust as they watched from the end of the front garden. Dudley was sickly pale, just as he had been when surrounded by the Dementors.

"T-they…T-there's…" Dudley tried, stuttering wildly as he cut himself off and decided to wave his arms wildly in the direction of three wizards. "Two-two-of…them!" Dudley explained, his voice a squeal of fear as he continued to wave his arms crazily. Petunia watched her son, fear and concern directed as he watched his attempts of explaining something. She needed to get him to stop shouting else the neighbours would start looking over at them; the notion of such a horrible thing made her shudder. When her precious boy started throwing his arms in every direction, her concern became stronger. She finally tore her eyes away from her distraught son, preparing to call her husband, when her eyes caught onto three other figures.   
"V-Vernon!!" Petunia shrieked, her tone making Dudley shrink back as he paled further. "V-Vernon come quick!" Petunia cried once more, her eyes glued onto the three figures at the end of her garden. The huge man appeared, a chicken wing in his hand as he scoffed it down uncaringly.

"Pet? What's wrong?" Vernon asked, his tone unbothered as he levelled his wife with a glance of concern.

"L-look!" Petunia snapped out, pointing over to the figures. Vernon's eyes rose to land on the three figures before his eyes widened in obvious horror.   
"BOY!" He cried with fury, dropping his chicken on the floor as he pushed past his wife and son, marching down his front drive. 

Harry and Hadrian both flinched, Harry pulling his arms around himself in an attempt to protect himself and Hadrian freezing before catching himself and letting his hands fall to his sides, trying to appear relaxed. Voldemort's eyes had widened slightly when the man had hollered out In fear before he realised that both figures beside him had flinched at the call. Harry appeared to be shrinking in on himself as Hadrian attempted to become calm. Voldemort watched in interest, his eyes gleaming as Hadrian pushed Harry behind him.   
"What do you think you're doing?!" Vernon hissed out, stamping closer towards them, his movements causing the fat on his body to jump.   
"Uncle," Hadrian called out, his voice cold as he measured the overweight man with a cool stare. However, this only seemed to make the man angrier, and his face started turning a nasty purple.

"What?!" The man, who had been called Vernon by the sour women at the door, called out. The man gave an ugly look of bewilderment as he measured the older version of The-Boy-Who-Lived with a look of pure disgust.

"How?!" The muggle asked, his temper rising and his tone breathless from stomping over to them. Hadrian smirked, took one step closer to them, levelled him with an unfiltered stare of disdain.

"Oh. You know. Magic…" Hadrian whispered mysteriously, watching in satisfaction as the man's purple shade appeared to become darker. Hadrian stepped back once more, offering an innocent smile.

"Now, can we come in? We should have a family talk-you know- somewhere private." Hadrian continued, his tone filled with fake innocence. The muggle closed his fists tightly, wildly glancing around to make sure no one was watching before reluctantly nodding and grudgingly turning on his spot, stamping to the door and pushing his own family in, leaving the door open.   
Hadrian untensed, bringing his trembling hands up to lay them on the shoulders of the boy behind him, "Go and grab your things. I'll speak to them." Hadrian ordered gently, his hands gently squeezing the boy's shoulders in reassurance as Harry nodded in agreement. Hadrian then spun round to look at Voldemort, his eyebrows quirking up when he noticed how tightly Voldemort was holding his wand.   
"Patience. That's different." Hadrian acknowledged out loud, his tone curious as he glanced up at the Dark Lord's face. The man's lips were pulled back into a scowl, his eyebrows furrowed in well-contained anger- another difference that was quite apparent between the alternate Dark lord and the one standing in front of him. The man's face relaxed into his usual look of boredom. Hadrian had realised that unlike alternate Voldemort, this man was very good at hiding his emotions. From the small amount of time the man had spent with Hadrian, Harry had only seen glimpses of his actual emotions. Although, it was a breath of relief for Hadrian to known that this Dark Lord was capable of feeling something other than fury and pleasure over torture and death.  
"Yes. I suppose it would be to you." the Dark Lord acknowledged with his usual intrigue tainting his tone.

The men then started walking, entering the house whilst Harry ran upstairs in a hurry to collect his things. Hadrian entered the living room where Vernon and Petunia were busy wrapping their pale son in several blankets and offering him every single type of comfort food available. The boy, unlike the time when his memories had all been sucked out of him in Hadrian's alternate world, was not as pale and was capable of whining about the food not being good enough.

"Boy! Grab something for Dudley from the kitchen!" Vernon shouted, levelling Hadrian with a glare as the man remained still.

"Get it yourself." Hadrian snapped back, seemingly unbothered by the purple man's tone. Voldemort's eyes narrowed in disgust at the muggle's audacity before turning to glance at the tense young wizard beside him. Hadrian was stood with his hands behind his back, gripped together so his trembling couldn't be seen as well. However, Voldemort was trained in noticing small faults in his opponents and could spot a shaky hand from the opposite side of a battlefield.   
"BOY!" The man roared, rising from where he was sat beside his son to race over to Hadrian with a hand raised. The younger wizard took a step forward, his fingers clenched around his wand as he held it to the man's throat.   
"What?!" Hadrian hissed back, watching in satisfaction as the man's purple face paled considerably as his eyes took in the position of the wand.   
"Y-You aren't-" The man began, shrinking away as he measured the young wizard with a vicious look.   
"What? Not allowed to use magic? As you'll find Uncle, I am of age." Hadrian smirked viciously, watching the man shrink from the position and fall back to standing beside his wife.

"Your-" The man started again before being interrupted by Voldemort. "He is," affirming that he was an older version of the man's nephew. "Using magic, he was able to come to this world through an alternative gate. Now, if you will behave like adults for a few minutes, I'm sure we can sort this out and leave. Frankly, I'm already tired of this boring trip." Voldemort drawled, his sophistication showing as he elegantly sat down on one of the overstuffed chairs and hid his frown of discomfort. The man then crossed his legs over and leaned back, his hands resting in his lap whilst his wand snuggly sat in its holster on his left forearm, an obvious reminder to the muggles that he could kill them in only a few seconds. Hadrian watched the man in confusion, concerned as to why the man was finally taking control over a situation. 

What did he have planned?

The Dark Lord watched as the family tensed from the corner of his eye. He was busy taking in his surroundings as he felt the tense young wizard take a seat beside him. The room was ordinary. Boring. Everything was too neat and too tidy, almost as if it was a display room at a museum. There were pictures of the obese muggle, his wife and his son everywhere in the room. On the walls, in the cabinets and on the walls. Yet, not one held any sign of Harry Potter. It was if he had never lived here. 

Voldemort then looked over to the family. The woman was supposed to be Lily Potter's sister, however from the small memories Voldemort had from encounters with the women, he could see hardly any resemblance. Lily Potter had been a little fire. Her hair had been a bright red that had always brought out the magnificent emerald eyes she had been born with.   
This woman in front of him did not possess any of the same features. She was thin, extremely so. Her neck seemed longer then what would deem as normal, her eyes were small and narrowed. Her body seemed to be wrinkled with age or work. Her hair was tightly held into an unattractive style on the top of her head. 

Voldemort's nose wrinkled in disgust, startling Hadrian who had been watching him from the corner of his eye. Hadrian let out a whisper of a chuckle as he memorised the humane actions that this Voldemort had started showing. Voldemort levelled a look on the wizard beside him, having caught his chuckle. The older man narrowed his eyes in obvious suspicion as he held the green-eyed wizard in a stare. Hadrian jumped, not realising that he had been heard and quickly looked away from the red-eyed man, not nearly as eager to have a disagreement with him in front of company. 

"We are here to collect Harry," Voldemort announced, pulling the three Dursleys out of their fear-filled stares.   
"Who even are you?" Petunia asked the handsome man, incredulously. Hadrian froze, clearly caught off guard by the question aimed at the Dark Lord. His lips settled into a small smirk; his eyes distracted as they followed Hadarin's tensed figure.   
"My name is Tom Riddle. However, you may know me as Lord Voldemort." The dark Lord announced, his attention turning back to the three muggles.   
Petunia looked as if she had seen a ghost, her eyes locked onto the man that sat, relaxing in one of her sofas.   
"Y-you..." Petunia started, her voice trembling as it came out only just above a whisper.   
"Yes, me." the Dark lord smiled wickedly, watching as the woman started fidgeting, shaking her in denial.   
"Y-you can't be..." The male muggle also began, shaking his head as he looked from the man to Hadrian.   
"W-why..." Vernon asked, his eyes levelling onto Hadrian. The man was also trembling, similar to his wife. His once purple rage-soaked skin had turned a sickly yellow. "You!" Petunia screamed, darting towards Hadrian.   
She grabbed the young wizard's face tightly, her nails biting into his skin.

"How dare you! How dare you bring this-this freak! The one that killed your mother! The murderer who killed my sister!" Petunia cried, her fear clouded by her rage as she slapped Hadrian around the face and continued pulling his face with her biting nails. Voldemort's red eyes shone, his rage burning under his skin as he watched the filthy muggle viciously attack her nephew.   
"Incarcerous," Voldemort whispered out shortly, lazily pointing his wand at the women. The rope wrapped down her middle, pinning her hands to her sides as she fell back onto the floor. Voldemort grimaced in disgust at having to use his magic on such a disgusting thing.   
"Really? Is that what you care about?" Harry asked softly, his voice filled with emotions that Voldemort could not distinguish. The boy had been shocked when he had entered the room just as his Aunt Petunia started attacking Hadrian, the man being so shocked that he was incapable of protecting himself in such a short time. Or maybe, Hadrian did feel guilty about being on common ground with his parent's murderer, and that was why he hadn't even moved to grab his wand from its holster.   
Harry walked up to his Aunt, his feet pattering across the floor softly, sparing a glance to see if anyone else was advancing on him before realising that Dudley and Vernon were too frightened to try to help their wife/mother.   
"Is that what you care about? I always wondered if you had ever cared about mom. But you don't, do you? You couldn't give a damn about the fact that Hadrian brought back our mother's murderer to the house, your sister. The only thing you care about is the fact he's a wizard." Harry acknowledged, his voice trembling with a mass amount of rage. He crouched down beside his Aunt, brushing a piece of her hair out of her eyes as he stared straight into her eyes. The glare he sent her made her tremble in her restraints as her body seemed to freeze in fear. "After all, my mother was just a whore, my dad an unemployed drunk. They died in a car crash. It was all my fault, that's why I'm unwanted. That's why I'm a freak. Isn't it-" Harry looked up, staring into his Uncle's eyes and then his cousin's, before looking back down at the woman who was tied up on the ground. "-Aunt Petunia." Harry watched as the woman began to cry and yet, he felt no remorse and smiled softly. "I don't even hate you," Harry admitted, wiping a few of his own tears from his cheeks. He looked up when he heard a hitched breath come from just behind him. he turned, his eyes locking onto Hadrians. The man was crying-no, sobbing. Blood dripped from the nasty nail-shaped indents on his face. The Dark Lord was rigid, a look of shock clearly noticeable on his face as he stared at both Hadrian and Harry.   
"Are you okay?" Harry asked Hadrian, his eyes watering as he leant forward before stopping, unsure on what to do. Hadrian seemed to recognise the movement and nodded, wiping more tears from his cheeks as he stifled his sobs into his hand. Harry sat on the sofa, sandwiching Hadrian between himself and Voldemort. The boy sat facing the older man, opening his arms wide enough for Hadrian to fall softly into them, burying his face into his younger self's shoulder, sniffling as he tried to stop his tears. Harry tensed automatically, unused to warm contact before relaxing, bringing his hands up to rest them softly on the older man's upper back, rubbing it reassuringly.   
"I-i said that...t-to them," Hadrian whispered in remorse, his eyes closing in an attempt to stop himself from mourning his best friends once again.   
"Talk about it later. In private." Voldemort ordered softly, his tone unsure. The absurdity of the Dark Lord showing any doubt in his actions made both of the wizard's chuckle. Hadrian soaked in the last bit of comfort from Harry before pulling away from the boy's embrace.   
"Have you gotten everything? We need to go to Gringotts." Voldemort asked, his tone hardened as he was unused to being laughed at so often.   
"Y-yes." Harry stuttered out, not sure about what he should do when directly addressed by the Dark Lord.   
"Then let's go." Voldemort prompted as he stood, sending a final look of disgust at the three muggles as his robes whipped behind him as left the room, offended that they couldn't even speak on the situation due to the muggles acting like animals, as usual.   
Hadrian and Harry, unlike Voldemort, did not spare their relatives a final look of anything. Hadrian wandlessly casting the unbinding spell on Petunia just before he left with Harry.  
\---  
The three muggles were left frozen in shock, fear and whatever else they were feeling. In their shock, they had completely missed the appearance of a red-letter that would have informed them that Harry had been expelled from Hogwarts. Usually, that would have made them cheer or laugh, but now...now the boy wasn't even here to tell.   
\---  
"Let's go," Hadrian announced quietly to his younger self. Harry nodded in agreement, pulling his trunk out of the door behind him.   
"Where are we going?" Harry asked, confused.   
"To Gringotts," Hadrian repeated, the information had already been given by Voldemort earlier on.   
"And after that?" Harry asked absentmindedly, letting Hedwig out of her cage and watching as she flew off- not before pecking him softly on the hand promising to meet him later on.   
"I don't know," Hadrian replied, his eyes catching the ruby ones owned by The Dark Lord. The older man smirk in amusement as he noticed the doubt held within Hadrian's eyes.   
Hadrian steeled, remembering himself.   
He could cry and doubt all he liked later on.   
Until he reached that time, he would try to remain unbothered by everything and anything.   
He had too.   
To get his revenge. 


	8. VII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Hope you enjoy!

"We will go to Gringotts before returning to Malfoy Manor. Potter will need to go through the same inheritance tests as you did." Voldemort ordered, glancing down at Hadrian when mentioning. Hadrian nodded, wincing at the idea of returning to Malfoy Manor. He hated the estate with a passion and always would. The prestigious, empty building had only ever brought him pain.  
Harry pouted in annoyance when thinking of the idea of having to spend his summer with two people who had tried to kill him and another who hated him with a passion. However, in some way, it still appealed to him more than staying at the Dursleys.  
At least Hadrian would be there.  
\---

"I knew it would be similar, however, I didn't expect the numbers to be as high as this. It seems that you were given submissive potions and secrecy potions before you even reached Hogwarts, maybe when you were a child." Limehall announced, looking at both Harry and Hadrian.  
It hadn't taken long for Griphook to call the same healers who had dealt with Hadrian for Harry after he had taken his test. Voldemort watched from the back of the room, as he hadn't been kicked out this time. He watched curiously as the Goblins explained the fact that Harry had already been exposed to vast amounts of potions and compulsions spells. Hadrian, who was stood next to the pale-faced Harry, ripped the inheritance test out of the boy's hand and compared it to his own. Hadrian's face paled as well before he dropped to Harry's side on the chair and hugged the boy, ignoring that he tensed up. "I-I'm sorry." Harry mustered out, unsure of what his own apologises were implied too. "It isn't our fault, we just trusted the wrong people. We made a mistake and I paid for it, but you won't." Hadrian commented, his tone violent as Harry untangled himself from Hadrian. "What do you mean?" Harry asked in confusion, wiping his tears away as he faced the glaring man. "We'll get revenge," Hadrian stated, his voice unusually firm in his decision. Harry inspected Hadrian's face, checking for any doubt or any indication of any doubt. 

He didn't find any. 

"O-Okay…" Harry accepted, nodding shakily in agreeance. Hadrian smiled as he stood, turning to face the Griphook. "I've heard about sibling bonds before. Do you think that Harry and I can become brothers?" He asked, smirking at the shocked looks he received from everyone in the room. He looked down at the boy by his side. "We are already similar to siblings. We share qualities and skills and yet we are completely different in nature due to the experiences I have had that you haven't. Would you like me to be your older brother Harry?" Hadrian asked, doubt and anxiety clouding his tone as he looked at Harry. The boy stared up, his bright emerald eyes shining with new tears. "F-family?" Harry asked, his tone pleading to receive a positive answer. "Yes," Hadrian nodded, his own eyes gleaming. "Family."  
Harry let out a pitiful sob, jumping up and clasping his arms around Hadrian's middle, clinging to the older man. 

"I will do the ritual," Voldemort announced, his eyes narrowed in consideration as he watched the events take place in front of him. Hadrian nodded firmly, encouraged by the idea of acceptance. "Right. We'll do it before the ritual so that Harry won't pass out as I did. His magic will be supported by mine so that we'll equally share the strain instead of him alone." Hadrian announced, ignoring the glare that was shot at him by the female Goblin. "You only just went through the cleansing yourself, you shouldn't strain your magic any-" The healer tried to insist, only to be interrupted by the man in question. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Anyway, if I feel bad afterwards, I can rest at Malfoy Manor." Hadrian imposed, sending a questioning glance at Voldemort as he said this. Voldemort sighed in annoyance, sick of the man evading his questioning by damaging his health. "You will," Voldemort reassured, casting a split second glare at the man and releasing a sharp growl when he received a cheeky smile back. 

Hadrian turned his head quickly when a cough interrupted Voldemort's glare. Limehall pierced the two older wizards with a glare of her own to silence them before her gaze softened as she looked at the boy who was wrapped around Hadrian's middle, slowly falling asleep.  
"Harry, we'll perform the rituals now, and then you can rest," Limehall told the boy, her tone sympathetic as she reached up to brush the boy's hair softly, coaxing him out of his sleepy state.  
"M'awake..." Harry mumbled out; his eyes closed as he unconsciously buried himself deeper into Hadrian's chest before releasing a content sigh. 

Hadrian smiled softly, ignoring the jolt of jealousy that drilled into his heart. Hadrian, when he had been the same person as Harry was now, had always wished for a family. He hated himself for the loathsome jealousy he felt, the envy that came from another version of himself getting what he had always wanted- no, needed at that age. Hadrian frowned to himself, disappointed in himself for his silliness. His whole reason for being here was to change his future, to change the wizarding world and to get revenge. His need for a family would always be low on his list. Yet, he had already started on his goal. Harry would be his younger brother, someone who he could protect and love unconditional. Frankly, it would be odd for Hadrian. He would learn to love Harry as his younger brother instead of relating the boy constantly back to himself and his own past self. Of course, they would always have that connection. But in the end, it didn't matter anymore because from the moment Voldemort had been reborn as a man instead of an animal, Harry had no longer been Hadrian's past self. 

"Harry, we need to do the rituals now." Hadrian softly commented, coming out of his thoughts. He pulled the boy away from him, realising the boy was still quite drowsy. Hadrian sighed, picking the boy up and walking over to place him on the ritual stone, taking a step away and motioning Voldemort over with a hand. "What do we have to do?" Hadrian asked the older wizard, watching as the man's ever-emotional face turned to look at him, boredom shining through his body language.  
"You don't know?" Voldemort asked incredulously, his tone taunting as if he felt superior somehow. Hadrian raised an eyebrow in annoyance, finding himself more bothered by the man's tone then he ought to be. "No." Hadrian snapped quietly, his patience running out when the man only responded back to him with a satisfied smirk. Hadrian crossed his arms in frustration, his eyes narrowing at the man. 

"Look. I know why you're here and what you want; but if you don't start helping me, you're only delaying receiving your answers. So stop acting like a puffed-up, pathetic pureblood and start using your intelligence." Hadrian commanded, his control slipping as his magic began filling the room, smashing a few glass objects before Hadrian stopped, closed his eyes and let out a breath. He opened his jaded eyes once more, looking up at the taller wizard and flinching when he noticed the unadulterated rage that was flowing through them. They were a bright, almost blinding scarlet red. Voldemort's hand had tightened around his wand, his arm lifted halfway towards Hadrian as the Dark Lord took a step towards the younger man, grabbing his forearm in a harsh grip and pulling the younger more closer.  
"I'm afraid Hadrian, that in this world you hold no power over me. I could kill you and be done in just a second. Then I could do the exact same with the smaller version of you and all of his friends. You are here on my order and on my say. Do you believe you have been controlling everything since you appeared here? I have been with you ever since you have arrived. I have left you no time to escape and flee and I have you cornered. You are only here because I let you and you are only alive because I decided you could be. Do not presume that you are the one with the power here, because you are certainly not." Voldemort threatened, staring down at the man who was drastically shorter them his 6 feet and 2-inch height. Hadrian stared back, his bright jade green eye wide in apprehension as he tried to step back, wincing at the iron grips on his wrists as he felt his blood trickling down them. Hadrian hissed as he tried to wrestle his arms away, pulling and pushing them from the older man to try and gain at least some control over his own body. "Get off me!" Hadrian yelled, waking Harry in the process. The boy woke quietly, unnoticed by the two older wizards and the nosy goblins, who were watching silently from the other room and waiting for the sibling ritual to be completed.  
Voldemort let go suddenly, making Hadrian fall to the floor with a pain-filled yelp.

Harry registered his older brother on the floor with his eyes closed before looking up at the man who had killed his parents. He recognised the blood on both Harry's forearms and Voldemort's hands and rose from the bed instantly, slipping in front of Hadrian and he glared up defiantly at the older wizard. "The hell do you think you're doing?! Why are you hurting him?!" Harry called out hysterically, staring fiercely at the Dark Lord, self-preservation out the window.  
"We need both of your blood for the ritual," Voldemort explained calmly, showing the knife he had used to cut Hadrian's forearm as he explained to the younger man his inferior power to him. The demonstration was both evidence of Voldemort's greater strength and useful for the ritual he was about to lead. Harry took a minute to focus on the actual reason, sighing and releasing his tenseness as he sighed in relief. "Right, sure," Harry commented offhandedly, snatching the knife from Voldemort's hand and cutting his hand with ease. He held his own hand and turned it up so that less blood would leak from the cut and looked down at Hadrian.  
"What do we do now?" Harry asked, unsure as to how to move when he noticed his brother watching him from the floor as if he hadn't moved an inch since he had fallen.  
"Place your hands on his arms," Voldemort instructed softly, his rage covered by a thin wall within his mind as he stared down at the paralysed man on the ground. Harry crouched beside the older man and leaned towards him, pulling at the man's arms to connect them and pointedly ignoring the flinch he received from Hadrian. Now, Harry wasn't academically motivated due to the number of punishments he received whenever he had scored better on tests then precious Duddykins had, but he knew when someone was upset or scared about something.  
"What did you do to him?" Harry hissed, his tone sour as he looked up at the man who had hurt his brother in some way.  
"It has nothing to do with you. It is to do with Hadrian and I." Voldemort responded casually, however his own suspicious look towards the man still sat frozen on the floor was easily caught by Harry.  
"You did something. You just don't know what." Harry realised, his tone startled when realising he was speaking casually to Voldemort of all people.  
"Yes," Voldemort responded, casting one more glance towards the seemingly petrified man on the floor before sighing in annoyance and gathering his magic. "This ritual won't take long," Voldemort assured before starting to speak in Latin.  
Harry sighed in annoyance at being ignored once again before tightening his grip on his brother, sending as much reassurance as he could through the gesture.  
"We'll be okay. We'll get revenge on everyone that hurt us." Harry whispered quietly, smiling softly at his older brother who seemed to unfreeze at Harry's words, snapping his eyes open with a gasp before shivering, as if waking from a nightmare.  
"We will. I promise little brother. We'll get revenge." Hadrian gasped out before both wizards on the floor let out sighs of content when their bond started to form, connecting their magic.  
"Harry, do you take Hadrian as you soul bonded brother?" Voldemort's voice rang out through the room. Harry nodded, laughing at how ridiculously close it sounded to a marriage vow.  
"Yes!" Harry shouted back excitedly, laughing in exhilaration.  
"Hadrian, do you take Harry as you soul-bonded brother?" Hadrian nodded, looking at Harry and smiling softly with a graceful laugh falling from lips. "I do," Hadrian responded giddily, solidifying the sibling bond into place.


	9. VIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone!! Thank You for all the support everyone has been giving me. Do not be afraid to comment below if you see anything that needs correcting or your not clear on something and want me to include more detail! Anyway, I'm going to be changing my update schedule slightly so that I will be posting on either Friday or Saturday. To be honest, normally I end up posting just past midnight on a Saturday morning.  
> There won't be much difference as it will still be on the same days and I'll always be posting at least once a week (unless there is a good reason).  
> Anyway, I don't really think there are any warnings for this chapter so enjoy!!

"As that took quite a while, we shall prepare the ritual straight away so that you will have time to have dinner once you leave." Limehall rushed out, prepared the stones around the ritual stone and ushering the two boys to sit on it. She snapped her fingers to get the attention of the stupefied wizards. "You will be fatigued, which means you may collapse. However, you will not go back into a coma." Limehall announced, subjecting Hadrian to a hard stare that warned him not to say anything stupid.  
"Right, okay." Hadrian stumbled out, the glare reminding him of Mrs Weasley. Hadrian sighed in annoyance as Harry and Hadrian sat back to back, Harry's hand still connected to Hadrian's wrist as Limehall passed over the crystal stone to the younger boy.  
"You will feel your magic draining as we continue. Now, Hadrian is going to your compass. You will direct your magic through the stone and back into your body whilst maintaining a steady connection to Hadrian's magic so will not go into a coma. I'm afraid this will hurt." Limehall warned, taking her own place outside of the circle as she turned her stare onto the older wizard. "Will you be staying this time?" Limehall asked the Dark Lord, who gave a side glance and nodded. The female goblin frowned in annoyance at being dismissed so easily before turning back to the two boys sat on the ritual stone.  
"Let's start." 

\----

"Thank you, Limehall!" Harry called out happily as he stumbled towards the exit of the ritual chamber. Hadrian chuckled softly, watching the boy as he almost tripped over. Hadrian stood, closing his eyes briefly to ignore the dizziness that made his vision fade to black for a few seconds. He stiffened when he felt a hand on his shoulder, pushing him forward slightly.  
"We need to leave," Voldemort stated softly, removing his hand when Hadrian flinched under his grip.  
"Are we going by Portkey?" Hadrian asked softly, covering his confusion as to why Voldemort wanted to leave so quickly.  
"Yes." The man responded shortly, filtering out an amulet which Hadrian recognised as having the Malfoy crest on it.  
"It will take us to just outside the wards." The Dark Lord added, his eyes unfocused as he glanced around quickly whilst keeping a close eye on Harry.  
"Harry!" Hadrian whisper-shouted, becoming nervous himself with the Dark Lord so tense.  
The boy turned around, his delighted smile turning down when he recognised the mild alarm on his older brother's face.  
"What's wrong?" Harry asked as he rushed back to where his brother was standing.  
"I'm not sure," Hadrian responded softly, placing an arm and Harry's shoulder's in a comforting gesture as he glanced sideways at the Dark Lord.  
"Should we leave?" Hadrian asked, his voice no longer expressing his earlier calmness when he spoke to the older man. 

In a way, Hadrian had expected Voldemort to say something after he had shouted, but he hadn't expected the man to remind him so much of his alternative self. Hadrian had already started doubting his quickly made plans. However, he wouldn't be able to leave and keep Harry safe properly now that Voldemort knew who he was, so he would have to follow the older man and keep his little brother from any harm that could befall him from the older man, even if that meant Hadrian's own life went out the window. 

Hadrian was brought out of his thoughts when a hand once again placed itself on his shoulder, he tensed momentarily and waited for something to happen before he felt the pull in his stomach that meant he was portraying. 

Harry ignored the shiver of fear that rushed through his body when the oldest wizard he was being accompanied by, reached for his arm. The man clasped a hand on both of their shoulders before whispering a word that Harry couldn't quite catch. He let out a startled breath as he realised he was being pulled through a portkey. He felt the pull in his navel and the rising pit of nausea that would always build in the back of his throat when he travelled by wizard way. 

They landed in a rough patch of grass just outside the Malfoy estate gates. Harry and Hadrian both stumbled, stopped from falling flat onto their faces by the grips that Voldemort had on them both. The Dark Lord let out a deep and repressed sigh, something that seemed like he'd been holding it in for at least a few days, as he let both of the wizards go.  
"You will learn how to travel correctly through Wizard means. I will not have you stumbling and falling every single time we travel somewhere not on foot." Voldemort ordered, directing his voice towards Hadrian, although Harry nodded absentmindedly as he kicked some dirt with his hole-ridden trainers. 

The wizard let out another deep sigh as he walked forwards and entered the gates with a muttered word once more, shaking his head towards the two other wizards in an attempt to get them to hurry up. Harry and Hadrian clumsily walked towards the older wizard, their pace faster as they both saw the growing annoyance on his face. As they entered the estate, they were met with the stiff and impassive Lord Malfoy. He bowed towards Voldemort and nodded in greeting towards Hadrian before turning towards Harry. The prestigious man wrinkled his nose at the scruffy boy's appearance but shook his head as he turned his attention back to his lord. 

"We were just starting dinner, will you be joining My Lord?" Lucius asked, his deep voice echoing in the wide and open area of the entrance hall.  
Harry looked around in wonder as he took in the home. The only place that he could think of as being as rich and beautiful as this estate would be Hogwarts, as he had never been anywhere but at the Dursleys before then and that house had always been more of a nightmare than something to be proud of. Absentmindedly, he couldn't help but realise that when Draco Malfoy was boasting about his father and hid families wealth, he wasn't joking one bit. Harry had always thought the boy just had a boasting issue, but it seemed that the boy had actually been telling the truth. 

Harry brushed his clothes down self-consciously as he half-listened to the small conversation going on around him. He smiled softly when his brother leaned down to speak to him quickly. "We are going to be having dinner with the Malfoys. I know that you don't get along with Draco, but could you try not to cause an argument. If he bothers you, signal me to it. I'll try to get you out of the conversation without one of you trying to kill the other. Okay?" Hadrian asked softly. The worry in his older brother's eyes prevented Harry from responding with something sarcastic and risky, especially as the two older wizards who had both tried to kill Harry at least once, were in the same room as him.  
Harry let out a sigh as he nodded once, a pout forming on his face when he was reminded ion his terrible surroundings right now. The home may be beautiful, but everything in the room was set up to be displayed and shown off. Harry felt uncomfortable in a room of such wealth in his disgusting, oversized, second-hand clothing.  
Harry only started moving when he felt his brother's hand squeeze his shoulder in a moment of support before he was guided through a few different hallways, and finally into another wealthy, made-up room.  
There he was met with a table that seemed to be able to fit at least 30 people, obviously made for parties and business dinners. Harry shivered at the reminder of the countless business dinners the Dursley's had had, where he had either been told to hide away and forget he existed or had been used as a 'willing' server and waiter for the guests. He felt his brother squeeze his shoulder a final time before the grip was loosened and he felt Hadrian let put a gasp of happiness.  
"It's Narcissa." Hadrian realised, moving to step forward before realising that she hadn't met him yet before in this world. The young man let out a sigh of disappointment and let himself be dragged gently by his younger brother to sit at the table. There, Narcissa sat on the left of the table. Lucius sat at the head of the table, making Hadrian startle as he looked over at Voldemort in confusion. The man had moved to sit at Lucius right, only quirking an eyebrow up at the position before nodding to himself. "I'm glad you still remember your lessons, Lucius." The man acknowledged, offering the blond wizard a smirk as the darker haired male brushed imaginary dust off of his dark blue robes before elegantly sitting down next to Hadrian. He caught Hadrian's questioning look, and his smirk widened.  
"The first rule of pureblood practices is that you never let another sit at the head of the table within your home," Voldemort explained thoughtfully, his eyes gleaming in interest as he realised that Hadrian did not know much about etiquette.  
"Why do you not know that?" The man asked, his interest finally showing as he watched the younger wizard blush faintly in embarrassment and glance away from the three older people in the room.  
"I...I was never taught any practices within the wizarding world. Everyone seemed to assume I knew." Hadrian responded, his voice quiet as his own annoyance shone through. 

He had not yet come to terms with the fact that he had once been naive and stupid enough to not look more into his family or to take the warnings seriously that he received from the goblins when he received his titles the first time round in his own world. He let out a small sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously as he turned back to the three wizards. "To be honest, I'm afraid I do not know much of anything about the wizarding world." Hadrian chuckled morosely, casting a glance to Harry next to him. Harry looked back at him with a shared look of understanding before they both coughed and knocked themselves out of their moment of recollection. 

"Anyway, I'm sorry for not introducing ourselves. My name is Hadrian James Peverell-Potter-Black, and this is my younger brother, Harry James Potter. It's very nice to meet you again." Hadrian announced, wiping the shocked expressions from the two Malfoy's as they fixed themselves into their usual pureblood masks and nodded in acknowledgement. "I am Lucius Abraxas Malfoy and this is my wife, Narcissa Anastasia Malfoy nee Black." The lord responded sophisticatedly as he reached to take the hand of his wife. Narcissa offered both of the Potters a smile and opened her mouth to say something before she was interrupted.  
"I'm sorry I was late, Father. Mother. I'm afraid I lost track of time outside at the lake." Draco Malfoy apologised as he calmly walked through the doors, his eyes fixed on his tie that he was trying to loosen. He glanced up when he received no reply and was horrified to see the figure of a boy who he would only usually see at Hogwarts.  
"Potter?!"


	10. IX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!!  
> I know it's a day early but I have an exam tomorrow so I thought it would be best to publish today instead. I hope your all doing well!!  
> Enjoy!  
> WARNING!! Description of mental health illnesses and psychological conditions such as PTSD and Dissociation. I have no experience with these illnesses myself and if anyone has any additional information or corrections of my description of these conditions, please tell me in the comments! There is also hints of child neglect in areas as well.  
> If either of these topics triggers you in any way, please do not continue reading.  
> Thank you.

"Potter?!" Draco exclaimed in horror, forgetting the fact that he was attending lunch with his parents as he examined the boy who had grew to irritate him in every way.

The boy was wearing an oversized thread-thin flannel top that dropped to his knees, along with a pair of trousers that seemed to be pulled in at the waist by some monstrous size belt. Draco's lips turned down into a disgusted frown as he looked away from the other boy and turned to the two other wizards that were sat next to him. The first looked so similar to Potter that Draco did a double-take before examining the man closer. To be honest, they looked near-identical apart from only a few features that were out of place. The other Potter (As Draco had concluded that he must be some relation to Harry potter since they looked like twins) seemed to be at least a few years older and had no scar on his forehead, his hair was tamer and his eyes were darker. They dulled in comparison to Potter's emerald eyes, in Draco's opinion. He then turned to the last person at the table and he felt slightly faint when he realised that Potter was sitting next to The Dark Lord.

"Wh-" Draco trailed off in a whisper, his bewilderment expressed in his wide ice grey eyes.   
"Draco, introduce yourself to our guests," Narcissa ordered gently, standing gracefully to gently tug her son over to his seat next to her. Draco cast a shocked look at his parents but seeing their masks firmly in place aside from the gentle smile his mother sent him, he rid his face of emotion as he was taught and looked at the three wizards on the other side of the table. "I am Draco Lucius Malfoy, It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Draco introduced gently towards the two wizards he had never met before. He then turned his head slightly to face the boy sat opposite him, who had been scowling since his appearance.   
"Potter." Draco addressed cautiously, willing Potter not to respond. He let out a breath of relief when he noticed the only response he received was a stiff nod of acknowledgement.   
"It's nice to see you again Draco, I'm Hadrian Peverell Potter-Black." the older version of Potter addressed courteously, a smirk playing on his lips as he noticed Draco's shocked expression returning. "You mean…" Draco spluttered, looking at his parents for support. Their slight smiles of amusement did nothing but frustrate Draco further and he sighed in annoyance. "Am I to believe that you are somehow another version of Potter?" Draco asked, his tone pleading for his theory not to be affirmed.

"Yes, I suppose that is one way you could say it. However, my official background is that I am now Harry's older brother and guardian." Hadrian responded, his eyes gleaming in amusement as he watched his younger brother snicker in amusement. "I believe you already know who I am?" The Dark Lord interrupted, casting a smirk over at Lucius when he noticed Draco's head nod in response.   
"I do, My lord," Draco responded, his fear hidden expertly by the mask that many pureblood children failed to learn so early on.   
"Good," Voldemort responded simply, nodding towards the younger Malfoy in acknowledgement before he beckoned everyone to start eating. 

  
"Now we should start to discuss what is going to happen next," Voldemort ordered sternly, casting a look towards the two Potters sat beside him. "Oh right. I don't really know." Hadrian responded, brushing his fringe away from his face nervously.   
"The only thing I really need to do is protect Harry," Hadrian admitted, taking a bite of the vegetables that were on his plate. It seemed that the Malfoy's were always doing everything to their best and for lunch, they had a fancy salmon dish that names, Hadrian wouldn't be able to pronounce.

Hadrian took notice of Harry's face and he nodded slightly with a frown before turning to Narcissa. "Narcissa, would Harry be allowed something easier on the stomach? Such as a sandwich." Hadrian asked, his hand falling to Harry's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. Narcissa looked shocked before she nodded readily. She snapped her fingers for a house-elf to appear. The one that appeared seemed to look like the female version of Dobby and both Hadrian and Harry shuddered for different reasons. Harry was reminded of the near-death experience at Lucius Malfoy's hand in his second year when he tricked the man into releasing Dobby from his service and Hadrian was reminded of when Dobby was killed by the crazy bitch, Bellatrix.   
"Can you grab a sandwich for Mr Potter?" Narcissa asked the elf, who nodded through her newly formed tears. "Tilly's sorry! I'm sorry Mr Potter don't like it!" The female elf sobbed as Harry stood up abruptly and went to crouch beside the elf. "It's okay. I'm sure the food is excellent. I'm afraid that I haven't eaten very well this week and I'd only ruin the food when I got sick. Besides, I'm sure any sandwich you make would be exquisite." Harry reassured, his charming smile making the female elf blush and her tears dry up as she nodded heartily.

"Okay, Mr Potter Sir. Tilly will bring you your sandwich!" The elf then disappeared before popping back into the room, placing a cheese and ham sandwich on the table and snapping her fingers to make the salmon on his plate disappear. "Here's you go, Mr Potter!" Tilly excitedly called out, making harry laugh at her attitude. "Thank you. I'm sure it will be lovely." Harry laughed softly, patting the elf softly on her head as she blushed and popped away with an "Eep!" Harry turned and sat back down, oblivious to the stares he was receiving from the Malfoy family and Voldemort. Hadrian laughed at his younger brother and gently clapped a hand onto the younger boys shoulder.

"I think she just fell in love with you, Harry." The older Potter laughed in amusement, making Harry splutter in protest and blush widely. "N-no she didn't! I was just being nice!" Harry responded, hitting his older brother on the arm in embarrassment. Hadrian cooled down, his laughs and giggles fading as he tried to rub the tears away from his eyes. "Sure thing." he cheekily responded, making the younger boy pout in annoyance and turn away. "Whatever," Harry grumbled out as he picked up his sandwich. 

  
"Now that issue has been solved, I propose we move onto more important matters." Voldemort's voice cleared the room of any more noise, making it clear that Hadrian could no longer put off his explanation.   
"Okay," Hadrian grounded out, his lips forming a frown as he faced the older wizard. "You already know why I'm here. It's your choice as to what happens next. Although, if you oppose me or try to hurt Harry and me. I will find a way to leave and I will not help you win the war although I will be taking revenge on The Order of the Phoenix. After that, you will find it impossible to ever find Harry or me again. I will not let Harry live in a world which is ruled by a psychopathic sadist." Hadrian finished, setting his napkin down in a dramatic fashion that finished his threat nicely as if he had forgotten the altercation between himself and Voldemort the last time he had threatened him. Voldemort's hands tightened around the arms of his chair as he tried to control his temper. He would need to deal with the brat's impossible attitude soon, however, he needed to further his plan before that event took place.

"I propose that they stay at the Malfoy Estate this summer as guests like I am. Therefore we can negotiate terms and conditions so that none of us is displeased by other's actions. However, you will stay out of the way when it comes to the war unless you decide to join the Dark. Until then, you will declare yourself and Harry neutral so that we all know that you will not be sending any information back to-" Voldemort reasoned out, only to be cut off by a furious Hadrian.

"Back to who?! Dumbledore, the man who betrayed me and manipulated me for my whole life? My best friends, who ended up being the ones who murdered me?!" Hadrian shouted, his eyes glowing eerily as his magic rose, covering the occupants within the room in a blanket of cold.

" _Control yourself!_ " Voldemort hissed furiously, standing as well and staring down at the shorter man. This blood-red eyes seemed to anchor Hadrian back to reality, who let out a gasp as his magic returned into his body and he fell weakly into his chair. "They've really done a number on me, haven't they?" Hadrian stated pitifully, circling a fingertip around the top of his wine glass. "My magic hasn't been this uncontrollable since the war." Hadrian continued weakly, sighing in frustration as he looked over at the gobsmacked Malfoy Family.

"The war…" Narcissa asked hesitantly, casting a quick look over at Her Lord before returning her eyes on the older Potter.

"How did it end? I became a murderer and a loony." Hadrian responded simply, a wry smile taking place on his lips. "It's funny. After the war, the wizarding world didn't change at all. People flocked around me as their saviour before turning on me for being a murderer. I gave up and tried to leave. That's when I saw you." Hadrian continued, his eyes on Narcissa. "You were the reason I was alive and they were trying to put you in prison along with Draco. Lucius had already been arrested and his trial was quick in terms of sending him to Azkaban for life." Hadrian explained, drawing back into his memories and hoping that revealing the future of an alternative world wouldn't do anything to put the one he was in now in any harm. He looked up, observing the pale faces that had become the Malfoy family. "I helped you, Narcissa-and Draco. Neither of you went to Azkaban, but you were put on house arrest for quite a few years. In fact, the only reason I was not at the Malfoy Estate on the day of my...murder was that I had offered to help rebuild the parts of Hogwarts that hadn't been rebuilt the year before like most of the building." Hadrian continued, a fond smile on his face as he remembered the beginnings of his healing under Narcissa's guidance. "Are you a healer in this world as well?" Hadrian asked, his tone tight as he looked at the woman. 

  
"Informally, yes. Although I rarely ever practise my skills. Why so?" Narcissa asked gently, recognising the gleam of hope in the younger males eyes.   
"I was hoping that we could continue, I mean, start my healing again," Hadrian asked, his eyes seeming to lighten at the idea of getting his magic back under control and controlling his temper. Narcissa let out a soft giggle as she nodded gently.   
"I'm sure that would be possible. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to say no to that adorable face anyway." Narcissa reassured with another giggle, making the young man blush lightly and move to hide his face in his hands. 

  
"You're just like your other self!" Hadrian exclaimed in embarrassment. The woman that Hadrian had come to recognise as his foster mother (in a way) was still the same. She didn't have the same memories or experiences as he did but she was still the same in character and personality.   
He had saved her and her son from prison and she had saved him from himself. She had acted as his guardian when he needed one and his healer when he needed to vent or solve his issues. She had been the one who he had eventually told about his abuse and she had been the one to care enough to help him try to get over it. 

At the time, Hadrian had been too distracted by his friends and the Weasley's to grow too close to the woman he had seen as his most trusted for the last years of his life. He had never mentioned any of his times with the Malfoys with the Weasleys or Hermione. When they found out that he had testified to proclaim their innocence he was shouted and cussed at. However, he had been too naive at the time and too dependent on his best friends and comfort of positive relationships to acknowledge the warning signs that they expressed in their actions. 

Sure, Molly Weasley had always been someone who liked to believe she was Hadrian's adoptive mother, but they had never been too close due to her birth children always coming first. Hadrian had understood that and accepted he would be beneath them all in terms of his position in their family, but he hadn't realised until he had visited the Goblins in this world that the family that had always been his haven was actually the cause of his misery. And that, that was what Hadrian had yet to get over. 

Hadrian blinked out of his thoughts when he felt rushed tapping on his shoulder.   
"-Drian! Hadrian?!" Harry shouted in panic, leaning over his chair to shake his brother out of whatever episode he was having.   
"-m okay Harry," Hadrian muttered, cursing at the headache that was now forming as he felt a rush of nausea feed into his senses. He grasped for whatever he could find to stabilise himself and felt someone grab onto his left arm and force him to remain sitting.   
"Sit and calm down. Take this." A voice hissed out quietly as he felt a glass being placed into his hand. "It's a stomach soother. It will calm your senses down." The voice continued, taking on a softer tone with a hint of impatience. Hadrian sighed in relief, unconsciously trusting the owner of the voice as he placed the glass at his lips and drank the potion, gagging slightly at the disgusting yet familiar taste.   
"Thanks," Hadrian mumbled to the surrounding voices as he took in the clearer appearances of the wizards and witch surrounding him.   
"W-what was that?" Harry asked, his terror and worry for his brother expressed through his face. he had been confused when he had felt the bond dull slightly before realising that his brother was falling into a similar type of mental block as he did in the ritual chamber at Gringotts.   
"Why do you keep doing that?" Harry cried out, his panic causing his hands to shake as he moved closer to his brother, pulling gently until their hands were clasped together.   
"I'm sorry Harry," Hadrian whispered apologetically, bowing his head in disappointment for his own actions. "I-I can't help it." Hadrian continued, trying to explain to the best of his abilities as he felt his own senses becoming more clearer and the feeling that he was further away from his body than he actually was, was disappearing.   
"You dissociate." Narcissa caught on, shocked at the idea of the boy experiencing such drastic psychological problems.  
"Yes. Y-you said that it was to do with stress and the fact that my PTSD made it too difficult to deal with reality sometimes so my brain would just kind of...you know...turn off in a way." Hadrian explained weakly, trying to remember when Narcissa had diagnosed him with all of his conditions.   
Narcissa nodded in acknowledgement towards his explanation, frowning at the long list of mental illnesses Hadrian seemed to have and how long it would take to correctly figure out a way for him to deal with them all in the healthiest way possible. He needed support and that was what Narcissa would provide.   
"My Lord. I'm afraid that Hadrian should have to leave first to get some rest. he's had a hard week and his mental conditions are becoming more apparent with the roughness of the week. Would it be okay to continue the conversation at dinner and later this evening?" Narcissa asked courteously as she stood gracefully and waited for a response. The man who seemed to be hiding his shock and rage by only a small amount of patience left, nodded his head hastily as he stood.   
"I will show him to the room beside mine. The room is set up, correct?" Voldemort asked, his tone cold as he practised as much patience as possible.   
"It is, My Lord," Lucius responded from his risen position, having stood when the Dark Lord had.   
"Good." The Dark Lord commented, taking his position beside Hadrian, who continued to grip onto Harry.   
"Do not worry, Hadrian. I will make sure no harm befalls your...brother." Narcissa reassured, casting a side glance at her husband and son before turning it back to the younger Potter.   
"Harry, finish your sandwich before you faint." Narcissa chided carefully, pushing the child away from his older brother and back towards the table as he sat down.   
"Now, why don't you tell us about yourself. I'm afraid Draco has limited opinions and facts on you and I find myself wanting to know more about you as a person and not just as 'Potter!'" Narcissa asked, imitating her son in a way that was so amusing that harry dropped his sandwich and burst into giggles, ignoring the shocked male Malfoy's beside the woman.   
"Mother!" Draco shouted in embarrassment, his cheeks glowing pink at his mother's teasing in front of his number one rival.   
"Shush Dragon. You know perfectly well that everything I said is true." Narcissa admonished, her tone crisp with amusement.   
Harry giggled once more, biting his bottom lip to hide his amusement as much as possible. Mrs Malfoy made it very easy to relax, especially with two Malfoy's, who despised him, in the room and who were both staring at him in confusion. 

'Dragon? Malfoy's mom calls him Dragon?! Merlin!! Wait until I tell Ro-' Harry's train of thought stopped as his giggles dried up abruptly, making Narcissa look at the boy in similar confusion as her son and husband. 

Harry didn't have friends.   
Not anyone that he knew he could trust without a doubt.   
He hated it.   
The same feeling he had felt for 10 years at the Dursleys had returned.   
He hated it. The feeling of emptiness, of pain and loneliness.   
He despised it.   
The little voice in his head that kept telling him the Dursleys were right all along.   
That freaks didn't have friends.   
Freaks didn't deserve them. 

And yet, there was still a part of Harry that hoped- no yearned, for the love and affection that he had never received before. He wanted it, needed it even.   
He hoped, for sure.  
That Neville, Luna, the Twins...that they were all his true friends. People he could count on that didn't want him for his name, money or body as the others did.   
He wanted friends.   
He wanted a family.   
He wanted love. 

"Mrs Malfoy, what's it like to have a family?" 


	11. X

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in time!!  
> WARNINGS: References to mental illness and violence.

"Mrs Malfoy, what's it like to have a family?" Harry asked, freezing when he realised what he had just said. He blushed in embarrassment and placed what was left of his sandwich back onto his plate, his appetite gone.   
Narcissa had experienced many things through her ungodly long life, or what seemed like a long life. Her parents had been mentally insane and had had no parental capabilities. However, when she had been arranged to marry Lucius she had finally found someone who was the same as her. Someone who wanted a family not just because of their families wishes but because it was their own individual choice as well.   
She had gasped in shock at the question, she was sure of it. Her eyes grew wet from the innocent but soul-crushing question the boy her son's age had asked. She felt tears build within her eyes as the boy awkwardly apologised and started to climb out of his chair at the table. She stood elegantly and crossed over to his side of the table. Harry stumbled as he almost walked into the sophisticated pure-blood lady as she swept across to stand in front of him before she softly lowered herself down to his height. Harry stiffened when he felt the woman's eyes on him, almost as if she were staring straight into his soul.   
"Would it be alright if I hugged you, Harry?" Mrs Malfoy asked quietly, measuring his tenseness as unconformable. 

The boy's mouth dropped in surprise, his body tensing further at the unusual request. For the last 14 years of his life, he had had only a few comforting touches, most coming from Mrs Weasley and Hermione. They didn't count. They had both betrayed his trust in not just his world but also in an alternate one. He didn't believe for one second that the two women had actually cared for him. They had just played on his touch-starved personality and he had been wrapped around their pinkies before even realising he was being manipulated. Besides, he had never been hugged by anyone, besides the short embrace he had had with his older brother. Mrs Weasley had given him a bone-crushing squeeze for a second, a few times, but he had never associated them as an actual hug. 

"I-I…Umm…" Harry tried to speak, unable to say something coherent and respond to the question. He hadn't wanted to let his stupidity rule over him this time, but the need for comfort after so many shocks to the system was inevitable. Besides, his brother seemed to have known Narcissa in his world and she had helped him so much. Harry only hoped that this Narcissa was the same. The woman smiled gently at the boy, taking his stumbled words as an agreement to her request as she looked over to her husband and son, who had also stood when she had. 

Draco was watching with a look of shocked-horror and her husband watched with a face full of resignment, however, she could see the way his lips turned upwards into a tiny smile. 

In society, the Malfoy's had always portrayed themselves as feared purebloods, who believed themselves to be far more important and better than any average wizard. Her son had done well to portray himself in a similar way at school, maybe having gone too far in some ways as Narcissa had had to scold him many times this holiday after receiving letters from other pureblood parents. However, this was all done for an especially cunning and devious purpose of lowering people's expectations of the Malfoy family and spreading fear and respect through the individuals who acted without thinking, when faced with the Malfoy family. It made people believe that the Malfoy family were too full of themselves to actually put effort into work and/or business. It made people believe that if they complimented and offered shares from companies to the family that they would somehow become more important and trustworthy to distinguished Malfoy family.   
It made people behave like fools.   
Narcissa took much entertainment from watching these ignorant and unintelligent nobles who actually did seem to believe they were more important and significant than other families of the same titles. 

Narcissa finally stopped the boy's rambling as she broke the gap between them and placed her arms around the boy's upper back, pulling him closer to her until he was resting his head on her shoulder. She gently tightened her grip on the boy, enclosing the leftover space that she had left, just in case he panicked. The boy had tensed automatically at being touched and Narcissa frowned when she saw what seemed to be a flinch from the boy. As she tightened her grip, the boy melted into the embrace, resting his head on her collar bone as he had still not outgrown the average height for a woman. Harry relaxed even further when he felt Mrs Malfoy's fingers gently drawing circles on his upper back. Narcissa smiled gently as the boy relaxed, happy that the boy was finally un-tensing after being tense and uncomfortable since he had arrived here at her home. Her smile held a mournful tone, he expression almost sad as she looked up at her husband from the embrace. Lucius noticed his wife's melancholic look as his eyes fell to the boy in her arms. He couldn't remember the boy being anything but spiteful and rude to him in his second year, so how on earth was this the same boy? The boy in his wife's arms was so small that he could pass as at least two younger than he actually was, which was a silly notion as the boy had always behaved like a spoilt brat in the words of his son. Yet, Lucius could only believe that his son was emphasising the boy's personality to get himself off the hook every time he was scolded for fighting with Mr Potter. He would have to have some serious words with his son soon as his Malfoy persona was becoming too realistic in terms of attitude. Lucius did not want to raise a child who would become so similar to Lucius' own father. 

Narcissa coughed gently, realising that the boy was drifting off in her arms. Without hesitation, the women picked the boy up, surprising both her son and husband when she managed to pick up a 14-year-old teenager. Lucius had always known his wife was strong, yet a 14-year-old shouldn't be that easy for her to pick up.   
"Let's go to the sitting room." Narcissa requested quietly, turning her back on her son and husband as she walked towards the exit of the dining room. She smiled indulgently when she heard the unmistakable footsteps of her husband and son, who had never argued with the 'requests' she made. Her smile then turned melancholic as she looked down at the boy who drowsily slept on her shoulder, reminding her of how light the boy is and making her question as to why that is. 

\-------------------- With Voldemort and Hadrian --------------------------

Voldemort watched as Narcissa pried the older wizards hands off of his brother before she smiled at the green-eyed wizard and dipped her head in acknowledgement towards her Lord. He nodded back courteously as he followed the jaded Potter out of the door. 

The walk to the young man's room was filled with tense silence. Neither spoke to the other as Hadrian soon followed behind Voldemort, unsure on which turns to make in the large manor. 

"Is it from the war?" Voldemort asked. The only indication of his interest was the small note in his tone. Hadrian tried to organise his brain properly, intending to answer the question verbally. However, when the older wizard turned to him, the only answer he could give was a small nod, before a shake of his head.

"Some of it," Hadrian mumbled, his tone wavering when he felt the fog return for a few seconds before dissipating more thoroughly. "Some of it," Hadrian repeated, his voice more steady as he met the ruby eyes of the Dark Lord. He left no room for more questions as to where his other mental conditions came from and decided to change the subject.

"So, Harry and I will stay here for the summer. We'll remain neutral in the war unless you do something that affects us in some way." Hadrian decided, trying to reaffirm their agreement as he noticed the older wizard nod before his lips turned down into a dissatisfied frown.  
"And what would affect you?" Voldemort asked, his tone slightly patronising as he lifted one eyebrow as he slowed slightly to walk next to the other wizard. "Needless killing," Hadrian responded, his tone cold as he looked to his left to meet the eyes of the other wizard. "Especially of minors. The wizarding population is already small and you and your bloodthirsty, insane followers only help decrease your own chances of success by dwindling down the numbers of people who can actually use magic." Hadrian commented, his tone icy and his eyes hard as if reliving a memory. The Dark Lord took in a breath, appreciating the way he could now breath once again before he stopped by the side of a door and turned to the younger wizard.

"Do not get too worried, Hadrian. I will not be bathing the streets in blood like you are suggesting I will. This time, I will reach my goals in an easier and ultimately better way for the wizarding world. I will not repeat the first war once again and the only ones who need die are the ones who would try to hurt my followers or me due to some petty stereotypes they hold for the Dark." The Dark Lord glared, his eyes fixed on the wall just behind Hadrian. Hadrian nodded, comforted in the fact that at least this time, young students would not be killed in the crossfire of a silly political-war-turned-blood-bath.   
"How will you do that? You're seen as an insane, sadistic murderer all around the English Wizarding world." Hadrian asked, his cheeks reddening when he realised how many times he had insulted the man in front of him for his alternative self's actions. Voldemort let his lips form a brilliant smirk, his face lighting up and his ruby eyes glowing as he looked down at the younger wizard.

"I never said that Voldemort was returning." The Dark Lord responded, his tone light with amusement as he stared down at the dumbstruck young wizard. 


	12. XI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!! References to child neglect and mental illness. 
> 
> Hello!!  
> I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas, both if you celebrate it or it was a normal day for you. Anyway, I thank you for being patient for this update as I wasn't able to post last week at all. On the bright side, this means that you'll be getting two updates? this week rather than one. I am now going to stop rambling so that you can actually read the update!!  
> Enjoy!!

Hadrian blinked, his dumbstruck expression seemingly frozen on his face as he looked up at the taller wizard, unsure on what to say next. The man seemed proud of himself over making Hadrian speechless. Plus, the young man's expression only grew more amusing for the older wizard who stared down at him, as the younger males eyes widened when his cloudy brain finally caught onto what Voldemort was trying to insinuate.   
"W-wait you can't possibly mean tha-" Hadrian startled, only for the young wizard to be abruptly cut off when Voldemort turned away and opened a door, pushing the young man into the room.   
"This will be your room for the summer. Your room is adjacent to mine so that you will have no way of betraying me and running away without myself being able to stop you. Get some rest and meet us downstairs for dinner in the same room. If you do not remember the way or you wake up before dinner, clap your hands once and a House Elf will guide you." Voldemort explained shortly before turning and closing the door, the slam of the action echoing through the hallway. The Dark Lord sighed in distaste as he looked around at the blank and pale walls before striding back through the hallway, to return to the Malfoy's and the stray. 

//

Hadrian couldn't stop his body from flinching at the loud noise that followed Voldemort's exit. He hadn't been a fan of loud noises since he was a child due to his Unc- Vernon's far too obnoxious deafening voice. Hadrian sighed in annoyance at having his questions unanswered and decided, for once, to listen to the older wizard and catch up on some much-needed rest. He wasn't sure if he could trust this alternative Lucius. He seemed much more family-oriented compared to his other-self, who had ended up serving a life sentence in Azkaban for following a sadistic nutcase. Hadrian didn't think the man would risk his families lives in attempting to hurt Harry, a guest of the Dark Lord. He didn't think too much on the Malfoy heir, knowing that even his alternative self now would be unable to hurt Harry in any way other than verbal assaults and vast amounts of annoyance. Narcissa was the one who seemed unchanged. From his small meeting with DEATH, the being had explained that only certain individuals would be different from those in his past reality, due to how close the alternative realities coincided with each other. Hadrian smiled softly when realising that Narcissa seemed to be one of those who hadn't been changed, making Hadrian eternally grateful that he at least recognised someone for who they were in his past life. 

The young wizard then pulled himself from his thoughts, deciding to examine his new room and finally get some rest. The room was large, almost too large. Hadrian felt his eyes widen when he realised the fact that his room came with an ensuite bathroom and a second room that was almost double the size of his bedroom at the Dursleys. His feet shuffled over to the other room, his intrigue catching him. He looked through the open doorway, and his eyes widened even further when he realised that it wasn't a bloody second room, it was a wardrobe. Hadrian now realised that Draco Malfoy's boasts and pride did actually come from a place. The room itself was just about the same size as the Gryffindor common room and made Hadrian feel very small in comparison. He momentarily panicked over the size of the room before deciding to ignore it for now and try to sleep. He backed out of the gigantic wardrobe and looked to the bed. Thankfully, the bed was queen-sized and a similar size to the one he had owned shortly, during his past life. 

After the war, he had been too mentally incapable to go back to Hogwarts for 8th year as Hermione and Ron did. They had pestered and begged him to attend with them, but Narcissa had suggested that he take a few months rest whilst he attended guidance meetings with her. He had listened and didn't return, but he had been there when they had both graduated and hadn't thought he had been prouder of the two than in that moment. The summer after they had graduated, Hadrian had decided to help out to finish repairing any damages to the castle that hadn't been fixed the year before. Many on the Gryffindors had also helped out, making the job a lot easier to do. During that summer, Headmaster McGonagall had let the former Gryff's use their dorms for the last time, and Hadrian had welcomed the experience. After living at Grimmauld Place for an entire year, he welcomed the brightness of the Gryffindor common room and the voices of others. He hadn't realised that on the grounds of his once home, his two best friends would attempt to murder him.   
As Hadrian took his shoes off and made himself home under the thick and cosy duvet, he finally let himself rest.  
The young man's tears finally fell.   
He mourned for his best friends.   
He cried as they had only been lies.   
He fell asleep, tears silently falling down his cheeks as he dreamed of a place where betrayal hadn't ever touched him. 

\------------------  
"He is asleep?" Voldemort asked as he entered the sitting room, seeing Potter curled up in the lap of Narcissa. He raised his eyebrows at the sight, his ruby eyes expressing only a small amount of question as he looked towards his follower. "My wife comforted him after you and Hadrian left, My Lord. He ended up falling asleep, so Narcissa carried him here to rest."   
"Carried him?" Voldemort questioned, turning a questioning gaze on the women. She was tall for a woman, most likely near the top of the average height for one. However, he did not see how anyone could carry a 14-year-old across a manor comfortably and not wake them up in the process either by dropping them or tightening their hold on them.  
Not that he had any experience carrying children.   
"Yes, I carried him. He barely weighs a thing." Narcissa responded quietly, her focus remaining on the boy in her lap. He seemed so small when hunched up like that and she had taken into account that his brother, who was at least 4 years older than him, didn't seem too much bigger either. She felt her skin bubble with resentment when she concluded that the child had obviously suffered from some kind of deficiency or neglect as a child to have impacted his height. He obviously didn't eat much regularly either, evident by Harry's nearly weightless being. She would have to check them both later on after they had both gotten the rest they obviously needed. 

"My Lord, may I speak freely?" Lucius asked, still unsure when faced with a more sane and intelligent Dark Lord. The tall wizard nodded absentmindedly, his ruby eyes still on the sleeping child.   
"May I ask what they are doing here?" Lucius asked quietly, his eyes looking over at his son, who was also focused on the sleeping boy in his mother's arm, a frown on his face.   
"You know how Hadrian's inheritance test came out. He came for protection. For himself and his brother." The Dark Lord responded, sitting elegantly in the chair across from the four individuals.   
"How did they become brothers?" Draco questioned out loud, before cursing himself mentally for talking directly to the Dark Lord. Voldemort found himself smirking in amusement when the child cast a scared look over at his parents once he spoke and nodded in response to the child. "They bonded at Gringotts early this morning." The Dark Lord announced, making Lucius look up in confusion. All types of Bonds weren't often completed due to the trust that needed to be between two individuals to complete them. Even then, the two Potter's were supposed to be light wizards, and those who believed in the light did not often think bonds were suitable due to their links to Blood magic. Frankly, many light wizards wanted them declared illegal. "Will that mean that Hadrian will be taking the Potter Lordship?" Lucius asked, his political mentality clicking in when he realised that with the new Potter, more seats would be filled in the Wizengamot.   
"I am not sure of Hadrian's decision for when Harry reached his majority. However, whilst Hadrian acts as Harry's guardian, he will remain as Lord Potter." Voldemort stated, his thoughts far from the conversation as he examined the possibility of getting Hadrian to use his votes on the terms of what he would use them for.   
"Oh yes, his guardian? What of his family, do they not have guardianship of him?" Lucius asked, his interested in the Potter affairs very apparent.   
"The only family he has left are _muggles_." Voldemort pointed out sardonically, wondering what on earth his follower was thinking. "Muggles?" Lucius repeated in confusion, his eyes wide as he looked at his Lord. "B-but it's well known he lives with a rich wizarding family who all treat him like a spoilt prince." Draco pointed out hastily, his confusion doubling over the conversation that he was apparently involved in. Draco eyes turned to the boy still asleep in his mother's lap next to him and then back to his father and his Lord.   
"My son is correct. Dumbledore assured the Wizengamot that Harry Potter had been placed with a rich and comfortable wizarding family by him, who would treat him as their own. Although their identities have never been revealed, to protect the boy." Lucius explained, careful in trying not to make it sound like he was dismissing his Lords reasoning.   
Voldemort's eyebrow rose as he listened to Lucius's past dealings with Dumbledore and silently growled in annoyance. "The man lied. Harry was left with muggle relatives as a child. I suppose he told the Wizengamot that story so that no families with ties to the boy would try to get custody of him."   
With that, the dark-haired man stood, leaving the family to their own thoughts as to the shelf of books which he had owned before his death. The locks on the books unlocked with a short, whispered hiss. He smirked as he pulled the oldest one out. The book was dedicated to ancient magic, such as dimension travel and time magic. He had taken it from the chamber of secrets when he had been in school and had never had the chance to return it. Thankfully, it was needed right now and it was a good thing he had never returned the book. The wizard sat elegantly back into his chair, his amusement over the families obvious confusion quite apparent due to the smirk on his face. He opened the book and began to read the first passage. 

_"Those who read this book will become aware of the unaware. These passages contain ancient magics that cannot be used by any mortal. Those who try will face the inevitable much sooner than predestined too. Those who contain this knowledge will become guardians of hidden fact. The world is both great and terrible, and those who try to fix it may become the ones to break it."_

\--------Give or take 4 hours-----------  
Hadrian woke himself with a sharp yell as he watched his Godfather fall through the veil. He closed his eyes as he dabbed the sweat away from his forehead and threw the duvet off of his body. He took a deep breath and slowly released it repeatedly, practising the methods he had used with Narcissa to help with his panic attacks.   
Once his breathing had calmed, he stood cautiously from the bed and made it, making it look just as it had before he had slept in it.   
He rubbed the sleep away from his eyes and then clapped once as Voldemort had told him to do. "Mr Potter-Guest! They are in the sitting room. Follow Dilby! She'll take you to them!" The excited female house-elf called, appearing in front of the male. He nodded softly, examining the clothes he had been wearing since he had woken in Gringotts. It was simple wear, a white shirt and black slacks covered with an oversized robe that seemed to hang off Hadrian's form. The other clothes fit him well, suggesting a shrinking charm had been used on them.   
He sighed in annoyance at the obvious need for possessions now that he was actually going to have to live here and start a life in a new world. He would need to go shopping soon, and so would Harry. They would have to go soon as they hardly had anything other than the stuff Harry carried in his trunk.   
He followed the house-elf silently, wondering if Dobby would answer his call whilst in the Malfoy Manor. Hadrian wanted to check up on the elf who had once died rescuing him and make sure he wasn't hurt by anyone again. 

As they reached another enormous room, Hadrian exhaled slowly and quietly thanked the elf as it disappeared with a bright smile and wet eyes. He then turned the door handle and quietly walked in. 


	13. XII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope everyone has had a good first few days of the new year. Enjoy!!  
> WARNINGS: Hints towards neglect.

As Hadrian opened the large door, he did not expect to find his younger brother asleep in Narcissa's lap. Nor did he expect Draco and Lucius Malfoy to be sitting either side of the woman and sleeping child quietly reading with no problem at all. His eyes widened when he took in the scene. Hadrian almost choked on air when he realised that Voldemort was also sat reading quietly in his own chair, faced towards the family, seemingly calm in the quiet atmosphere. 

Hadrian stood in the doorway, his sleep-ridden mind trying to take in such a confusing and hilarious scene such as the one in front of him. Hadrian couldn't help it. He felt the beginnings of laughter as he tried to stop himself from giggling and chuckling too loudly. Before long, however, the young man decidedly lost the battle and began shaking with laughter. The noise drew the attention of the quietly reading family and the sane Dark Lord, who watched in bemusement as the young wizard continued to chuckle and giggle his way through destroying the once peaceful atmosphere in the room. 

"My dear, what are you laughing about?" Narcissa asked when the boy's laughs finally grew quieter, his eyes wide and brighter than originally thought. When laughing, the boy's eyes looked remarkably more like those of his younger brother and his past self. The jaded green eyes seemed to light up, forming more of a mix between emerald and jade.   
"Merlin, I-!" Hadrian started before giggling again, his hand moving towards his hair to brush it back and away from his face.   
"T-this is just so...so weird!" The boy gasped out through his giggles, his arms wrapping around his stomach as he bent forward slightly to catch his breath.   
Narcissa watched the young man laughing and smiled to herself when she began to understand what he was laughing about. She coughed quietly, shuffling just a little to catch the young wizard's attention to stop him from accidentally waking his younger brother up with his laughter.  
"Oh, sorry!" Hadrian squeaked, quickly covering his mouth to muffle to last of his chuckles. The young man blushed, embarrassed about having almost woke his exhausted younger brother due to his shock over them all sitting together contentedly. The young man cleared his throat, his blush fading as he moved towards the seating area. Lucius and Draco both smirked as they watched the man approach as if he were about to be pounced upon. The wizard sighed as he reached the seating area, casting a look over at his younger brother to check him over and make sure that he was okay. "How long has he been asleep?" Hadrian asked, his persona changing to a more formal stance as he elegantly sat in the chair to the left of Voldemort and opposite Narcissa and Harry.   
"He fell asleep not long after you left," Narcissa replied gently, smiling at the young man as she absentmindedly ran her hands through the sleeping child's hair in a soothing gesture.   
"He seemed tired and upset. He was also displaying some symptoms of shock. I comforted him and then he fell asleep shortly after." Narcissa explained, watching as the young man's eyes remained firmly on his younger brother, his eyes shining with regret.   
"I'm not surprised. He's learnt a lot in the last few days. It will start catching up with him now that he is...relatively safe." Hadrian responded, casting a look at Voldemort and Lucius as he finished.  
"As we'll be staying here, we'll need to get some things straight," Hadrian stated quietly, although it was clear what he was trying to say to everyone in the room.   
"We do indeed, Hadrian. What will Harry and your stance be now that you're in this world and acting as his guardian?" Lucius Malfoy asked, relatively relaxed in his chair only a little tense due to the current presence of his Lord.   
"Harry will take no role in any wars or political debates unless absolutely necessary or if he wants to himself. As for the Wizengamot, I will take my seats and cast my votes for what Harry and I decide is the best. Other than that, I will remain completely neutral and I will not be forced to a side of it all like I once was. Neither will Harry," Hadrian stated, consciously warning the two other older wizards in the room that he would not be forced into joining any war or political debate.

  
"To be completely honest, I have no care or interest in the war itself, but what will happen after it. All I know is that the government needs to be changed and corrected and magic needs to be freed from the confines that the government puts on it." Hadrian continued, leaning forward in his chair and resting his chin on his hand. "That is one of our goals," Voldemort announced, startling Hadrian. The young man sat up and looked towards the older wizard, confused.   
"It is? In my world, you..." Hadrian started before casting a wary glance at the wizard. Voldemort simply raised an eyebrow, imploring the wizard silently to continue.   
"Well, your goals in my world were simple. Destroy all muggle and muggle-born and kill Harry Potter." Hadrian stated, his hands lifted in air quotes as if he were taking it directly from the insane noseless man himself.   
Voldemort could only stare in disbelief, his emotions breaking through his barrier due to the shock that came from knowing his alternate self was so...mindless. Lucius, Narcissa and Draco had all let out gasps of disbelief, their masks not nearly as strong as their Lords.   
"That's impossible," Lucius whispered, his tone so weak that Hadrian could see how shocked they all were by his news.   
"I'm glad you're sane enough to realise that. Your alternate self was not." Hadrian pointed out, making the aristocrat pale further and hunch slightly in his seat. Hadrian would remember this as the time that he had shocked Lucius Malfoy so fiercely that the man had forgotten his own etiquette as a pureblood noble.   
"In the end, Voldemort realised that his plans weren't going to work out and so he put all his efforts into killing me. He killed me and in doing so he killed himself. The end." Hadrian explained dryly, not ready to tell the whole story and taking great amounts of pleasure from the looks on all of their faces.   
"You died?" Voldemort asked, his tone commanding attention be brought back to the main topic on Hadrian's stance.   
"I did," Hadrian answered shortly, unwilling to give any additional information to the other man as of yet.   
"You will explain." The Dark Lord ordered, his tone suddenly colder as he turned to look at Hadrian directly. Hadrian looked at the man, noticing his ruby eyes had started glowing slightly.   
"I will explain soon. Alone." Hadrian insisted, his posture tensing as he took in the room's negative atmosphere.   
Voldemort's eyes glowed more fiercely, staring at Hadrian as the young wizard stood with a sigh. "We should wake him now. I'm pretty sure the House Elves will be done with dinner soon." Hadrian stated, changing the subject entirely and ignoring the piercing red gaze he was under.   
Narcissa and Lucius jumped out of the fear-frozen positions and nodded in answer. Hadrian took a step towards the woman and sleeping teen before crouching just in front of them.   
"Harry," Hadrian called softly as he leant forward and brushed the boy's hair out of his face.   
"Harry, you need to get up." Hadrian requested softly, gently squeezing the boy's shoulder. When Hadrian didn't get a response, the man frowned in confusion. "Little brother, come on. When did you become a deep sleeper?" Hadrian asked sheepishly, although he was talking to himself as the boy still didn't respond.   
"Well, that's certainly different," Hadrian whispered, standing up so that he could look at the boy closer. Hadrian then smiled and nodded. "Narcissa, do you want to wake him?" Hadrian asked, looking up slightly to meet the woman's eyes.   
"It's his first time sleeping in someone's lap since his parent's died. He probably fell deeper into his sleep because of it." Hadrian explained quietly, unconsciously separating Harry's parents from his own as he stood and backed away, standing next Voldemort who was still pinning him with a stare.   
Narcissa smiled softly at the young man before turning her attention towards the boy in her lap. She had felt her heart squeeze when Hadrian had explained the reason for Harry's sudden deep sleep and wanted nothing more than to give both of the boys all the motherly attention they had never received. 

  
She sat forward slightly, propping the boy up in her arms so that his back faced her son. With one arm around his shoulders, the woman simply shook the boy and whispered incoherently towards the boy to rouse him from his sleep. The boy in question mumbled back incoherently, squeezing his eyes as he tried to bury back into the warmth he had lost. Narcissa chuckled slightly as she watched the young teen and before long, the boy finally opened his eyes, blinking harshly as he brought his hands up to rub the sleep away from them and to hide them away from the light. The boy then registered that his legs were folded comfortably underneath him and that he was laying on something moving. He let out a squeak as he jumped away from the moving person and then let out a groan as he fell from whatever chair he had been sat on. He blinked owlishly, his bright emerald eyes snapping open as he took in the blurry shapes around him. "Glasses?" The boy asked quietly, his attention blurred as he tried to concentrate his poor vision on the one he had been laying on. "Here, sweetheart." Narcissa followed the request as Lucius passed her the boy's glasses from off of the arm of the chair. She then placed them on the boy's face and smiled softly when he sighed in relief. he blushed in embarrassment when remembered falling asleep in the woman's arms and stumbled onto his feet and started apologising frantically.   
"I'm sorry Mrs Malfoy! I didn't mean to fall asleep! I'm so sor-" Harry's babbling was stopped quickly when the woman embraced him shortly before pulling back once again, rendering the boy speechless as he stared at her in confusion.   
"I don't mind, Harry. You were tired." The woman acknowledged as she stopped the boy's panicked apologies. "Y-you didn't mind?" Harry asked hesitantly, backing up a step just in case the woman decided to change her mind or if she was just tricking him. Narcissa noticed the boy's hesitance and smiled reassuringly once again, "It is fine." The woman interrupted her tone firm, causing Draco and Lucius to look at her and away from the Harry on the floor. "Now up off the floor. Dinner will be ready shortly and then it's off with you and your brother to bed." Narcissa ordered gently, sending a glare at the older brother when he tried to refuse the order. Hadrian shut up as soon as the woman looked at him and shuffled slightly behind Voldemort as the woman glared. "I can't believe she gave me a bedtime again," Hadrian complained in a whisper, looking up to see the amused smirk of The Dark Lord.   
The man seemed to have controlled his urge to kill the young wizard outright and had simply stored his annoyance for a later time where he could get Hadrian to answer him.   
Hadrian himself had to fight the urge to tell the Dark Lord to 'Do One' when he noticed the red-eyed wizard's amusement.   
"Right, food," Hadrian whispered, side-tracked again when his stomach growled silently. He looked up to notice his younger brother walking up to him, his cheeks flushed red from embarrassment. "I don't know whether I'm jealous or scared for Malfoy," Harry whispered to his older brother as they exited the room, making the older of the two chuckle as they waited for the Malfoy family and The Dark Lord to also leave the room, deciding to follow them to the dining room instead of getting lost. 

\------Dining Room-------

"Do I really have to go to bed after dinner?" Hadrian asked the woman, his tone almost a whine. The woman turned to face the young wizard and her eyes glared into his jaded ones. "Yes." The witch answered shortly, making Hadrian shiver and nod hurriedly as he sat down in the same chair he had sat in for lunch. Narcissa turned to look at the younger brother, her expression softening when she watched him sit at the table.   
"Would you like another sandwich, Harry?" Narcissa asked sweetly, clapping her hands once for an elf to appear. The boy nodded tiredly, his smile slipping as his eyes closed without his permission. Hadrian smiled at the boy and patted him on the cheek to make sure he stayed awake long enough to eat something and didn't face plant into his own food.   
"We need to go shopping," Hadrian announced suddenly, making Harry wince at the idea of appearing anywhere near the wizarding world right now.   
"I suppose you do." The Dark Lord responded, a thoughtful look on his face. "Narcissa and Draco will take you tomorrow. Lucius and I will be attending a meeting." Voldemort planned, his foreshadowing of a 'meeting' suggesting that The Dark Lord would be meeting with his followers tomorrow. Possibly to announce what had happened in the last week.   
"Draco, do you mind lending Harry some clothes for tonight and tomorrow?" Hadrian asked, turning to the young blond for the first time since he had woken. The boy had been oddly quiet and polite in his parent's presence, seemingly portraying himself as a perfect pureblood who knew his etiquette. 

During lunch, the boy had managed to pass a few discreet glares towards Harry when his parents had been paying attention to Hadrian. However, since his mother had hugged the raven-haired teen, his glares had turned into more confused glances that weren't as discreet. The blond managed to hold in a flinch at being directly called on by the older Potter and took a second to process the question completely before casting the older Potter a horrified look. "Lend...clothes...to Potter?! Why?!" Draco stumbled over, his horror over having been asked to share his clothes with his schoolboy enemy clouding his reasoning and judgement. 


	14. XIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!  
> Hope you like the chapter! I'm not going to lie, I found this chapter really hard to write for some reason. I'm guessing it's because I had this chapter planned out for a while and when I actually got to writing it, I couldn't decide what would go into it.  
> Anyway, I hope you like Draco and Harry's first actual interactions!
> 
> WARNING!! Hints towards neglect and Mental Illness. Do not read if either of these things are triggers for you.

"Lend...clothes...to Potter?! Why?!" Draco stumbled over, his horror over having been asked to share his clothes with his schoolboy enemy clouding his reasoning and judgement.   
" _Draco_!" Narcissa hissed out, casting a quick glance over at The Dark Lord before turning to her son. "Use your manners, Draco," Narcissa warned, her tone clouding with nervousness as she felt the amused gaze of Her Lord on them.   
"Sorry Mother." Draco winced automatically, apologising for his outburst but keeping a glare on the younger Potter.   
"Why does he need my clothes?" Draco asked, staring at the boy but not speaking to him.   
"He doesn't have any he can wear," Hadrian responded, matching the boy's glare with a cold and distant look. Draco shivered, the jaded eyes piercing his own crystal blue ones. Harry's cheeks flushed in anger, his eyes turning onto his older brother as he glared. "Shut up," Harry whispered in mortification, his temper growing as his hands fisted his into oversized flannel shirt.  
"Harry, you don't need to be embarra-" Hadrian started, his eyes tearing away from the Malfoy heir to look at his younger brother. Harry's eyes grew darker, his cheeks pink in embarrassment as he repeated the whispered, "Shut up," more forcefully this time. Hadrian's eyes narrowed, his own similar temper rising when he faced the younger boy. 

"Harry," Hadrian warned, his eyes looking over at the individuals watching them before turning back onto his younger brother. "Don't be rude," Hadrian told Harry, his eyes narrowed in warning as he turned his chair towards the boy. "Don't discuss my personal issues with people who want me dead then!" Harry burst out, his eyes wide as he realised what he said. The boy froze, unsure on what to do next as he stared at his older brother. He would surely punish him for talking back. Wouldn't he?

"Harry..." Hadrian sighed as he reached for the boy, his eyes tearing up when he noticed the boy flinch away from him. "I'm not going to hurt you, Harry. I just want to hel-" Hadrian tried, only to be cut off by the boy as he cried, "I don't need help!" Harry stood, his arms flying out in front of him to protect his face and stomach as he stumbled blindly off of his chair and towards the door, only to be met by resistance as a hand wrapped around his forearm. The grip was gentle and kind. However, in Harry's state, he couldn't focus on this and instead tried to defend himself, throwing his hands up to try and punch the person off of him or push them away.   
"Harry _please_." Hadrian's voice bled through the younger wizard's mind, making him freeze in his place as he focused on the figure in front of him. The boy's panicked features grew red as Harry's eyes filled with tears.   
"I-I..." Harry tried, pushing forward towards his brother as Hadrian smiled softly and pulled Harry into a hug.   
"I know. You don't need to pretend anymore, Harry. I know you need help. You've needed it since you were a year old. Thankfully, you now have it." Hadrian stated softly, leaning his chin on top of the younger wizard's head. 

  
"You will have it. I will take you both as my patients." Narcissa declared, her voice filling the unnatural silence as her son and husband both turned to look at her in surprise. "Are you sure, Darling? You haven't acted on your position in years." Lucius questioned, his tone worried as he watched his wife stand and nod in determination. "They need help. Professional help. Both of them." Narcissa stated, her voice clearly warning anyone to back off before they even tried to stop her.  
She faced Voldemort, taking in his interested gaze as his eyes watched the two Potters.   
"Is this suitable, My Lord?" The woman asked, her tone now unsure when facing the man. The man's eyes lazily drew onto her, making her figure tense as he watched her for a few moments.   
"It is." The man assured, his tone lacking the usual coldness it held as his eyes turned back to the two Wizards a second later, watching the two as they held each other. 

"I'm not crazy," Harry whispered into his older brother's chest, sighing in contentment when the arms around his shoulders tightened.   
"I know. Neither am I." Hadrian replied, the statement sounding rehearsed as if the wizard had said the same thing over and over to himself.   
The two stayed in the embrace for a short time longer before they both pulled away, Harry looking at the woman in front of them and apologised quietly for his outburst.   
"It's alright, Darling. Now come and eat your dinner. I am determined to get you through one meal today before you go to sleep again." Narcissa commented, her tone light and amused as she led the two back to the table to sit down. 

  
"I have clothes for you." Draco quickly blurted out awkwardly. His anger diminished after noticing how worried his mother had gotten over Potter's panic.   
Harry blushed once again, nodding quickly and muttering a thank you as he picked up and started to nibble on his sandwich.   
Unconsciously, Hadrian relaxed once again after Harry seemed to have calmed down. Hadrian closed his eyes briefly, ignoring the twinge of pain in his head as he opened them once more and begun to eat his own dinner. The young wizard pointedly decided to ignore the stare fixed on him. 

\----------------

"Here." Malfoy offered the clothes over awkwardly, his eyes on the ground in front of him rather than on the boy.   
Harry coughed awkwardly, his hands coming up to take the offered clothes as he stood in the middle of Malfoy's bedroom.   
If he had been told last week that this would be where he was standing, he was sure his past self would have had a heart attack.   
"They're my old clothes from last year and the year before. I didn't think that my current clothes would fit you." Malfoy explained, his eyes flitting over Harry's shorter and smaller body before they planted themselves back onto the floor.   
Harry clutched the clothes to his chest nervously, his head falling in embarrassment.   
"Yea-I mean...You're- er..." Harry spluttered, trying to come up with a response to his rival's attentiveness. His cheeks reddened once again before he sighed.   
"Thanks, Malfoy," Harry mumbled shyly, unsure as to why he felt so strange in the other boy's presence. 

Draco looked up quickly, confusion and amusement written into his features as he watched The-Boy-Who-Lived shuffle and blush awkwardly in front of him.

"It's no problem Potter, I have a lot of clothes and as I said, I don't wear those anymore," Malfoy reassured impassively, turning his attention away from the boy as he cast a glance around his room. Harry let out a giggle before slapping a hand over his mouth in shock, dropping some of the clothes he was holding in the process.   
"What?" Malfoy turned and asked, his amusement broadening as he watched the blushing boy pick the clothes back up off the floor.   
"N-nothing. It's just I didn't realise that when you were boasting at school, that you were serious. You really have two walk-in Wardrobes?" Harry asked, his shock disappearing as he quickly fell into questions. Malfoy watched the boy for a second before absentmindedly tilting his head towards the two doors on the left-hand side of his room.   
Harry looked at him strangely before cautiously walking over to the two doors and opening the closest one to him. The boy's eyes widened as he took in the size of the room and the number of clothes it possessed and squeaked, stepping out the room and slamming the door shut. "That's like _triple_ the size of my old room! You have _two_?!" Harry's voice rang out in the silent room, his tone so shocked that Malfoy let out a laugh as he watched the boy take another quick look before shutting the door once again. Malfoy soon sobered up, his eyes narrowing as he walked up to the boy. "You really want me to believe your old room was _that_ small? Don't get pitiful on me Potter. You don't have to fish for sympat-" Malfoy snorted, before being interrupted by the smaller boy.   
"I'm not fishing for pity or sympathy, so shut the _bloody_ hell up!"


	15. XIV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone! As you can see my updates are not always going to be on a Friday anymore. I tend to aim to get them out for Friday but sometimes I just don't and I have no excuse for that. I will still be posting every week though and because this chapter didn't come out until today, you can expect another update later this week.  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!!  
> WARNING!! references to mental health issues and neglect. Please do not read if either of these things are a trigger for you.

  
"You really want me to believe your old room was that small? Don't get _pitiful_ on me Potter. You don't have to fish for sympat-" Malfoy snorted, before being interrupted by the smaller boy. 

"I'm not fishing for pity or sympathy, so shut the bloody hell up!" Harry shouted, his hands forming fists at his sides as he glared at the taller boy.   
"What are you doing then, Potter? Because since you've been here, _in my house might I add,_ you've been acting completely different to how you usually do! For Merlin's sake, this is the first time you've even gotten mad at me since you've been here!" Malfoy shouted back, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he scanned the emerald-eyed boy with suspicion.   
"I don't know, Malfoy! I don't know why I'm here! I don't know what's happening! I don't even know why the hell I decided to come here! All I know is that everything I thought I knew turned out to be a lie, and I only _bloody well know that_ because I was told by _myself_!" Harry cried, his hands curling around the clothes that were clutched in his arms. The boy's tears fell cleanly down his cheeks, his eyes closed as he stifled his sobs. 

Harry was so sick of crying.

For the last week, it had seemed like he would never cry again. Cedric's death had made him feel numb. After the initial shock of Hadrian appearing and announcing to Harry that his whole life was a lie, he had stopped crying. The week at the Dursley's had felt like a blur, the usual treatment he received from his relatives making him feel ill and dirty, just as it had when he was a child.   
He was so sick of crying.   
Yet, he couldn't stop. 

"Potter?! Potter?! Harry!" Draco panicked as he walked towards the boy, burying his shock over the younger wizard's outburst as he gently placed his hands on the boy's shoulders.

Harry flinched.

Draco's eyes narrowed in confusion as he tightened his hold slightly on Harry's shoulders before releasing the pressure. He repeated the same sequence a few more times, checking to see if the boy would respond to him through his sobs. "Stop..." Harry mumbled, "Just stop...cry- crying isn't allowed...st- stop..." He continued, his sobs slowly calming as he burrowed his face into the clothes in his arms, the top of his head coming in contact with Draco's chest. Draco bristled back slightly, before realising he should deal with the strange situation first and think about it later. The taller wizard sighed, the top of Potter's head matching up once again with his chest. 

"Potter...you're okay. Nobody is going to hurt you here. Uh, your brother would probably try and kill us if we did." Draco reassured, stuttering through as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He was out of his comfort zone and wasn't sure how to actually help someone suffering a breakdown; especially if the one suffering said breakdown was supposed to be his main rival at school. Draco then placed his hand back on Harry's shoulders and cautiously started drawing circles into them, unsure as to whether he was actually helping or making it worse for the other boy.   
"Um, Harry? Do you want me to get you someone? " Draco asked nervously, frowning when the younger wizard shook his head frantically, gasping as he tried to calm down his leftover sobs. 

"N-no, I'm fine." Harry tried, pulling away from the taller boy's chest and rubbing his face furiously.   
"Sorry Malfoy," Harry mumbled, sniffling once before looking down at the tear-stained t-shirt in his hands.   
"Oh...Um..." Harry started, realising that he'd probably ruined one of Malfoy's tops.   
"It's fine Potter. Hold on." Draco sighed, turning back and opening his wardrobe's door, disappearing inside for a moment before walking back out with a few new T-shirts.  
"These are the leftover clothes I have from earlier this year before I had a growth spurt. They may be a bit big on you, but they'll fit you better than the clothes you're wearing now. Wear the jumper tomorrow when we go out, I don't have any jeans that will fit you so you'll have to wear those," Draco explained, crinkling his nose as he looked down at the jeans Harry was wearing. "-Unless you have any others?" Draco asked, looking up at the boy again, startling when he realised the emerald eyes were pinned on him curiously.   
"N-no. I don't. These are...the best I have. I do have some school trousers though, should I wear them instead?" Harry asked, his thoughts spiralling at having gone to _Draco Malfoy_ for _clothing advice._

The sliver-eyed boy watched Harry for a few seconds, his eyes telling no truth to what he was thinking. Just as Harry started to squirm, however, the blonde boy gave a short nod and hummed.   
"Yes. Wear them instead." The boy replied shortly, turning away as he closed his wardrobe's door softly. "You should go to bed now. You're probably still tired. You performed two rituals today, didn't you?" Draco questioned, looking over at the boy in interest.   
"I did," Harry commented back shortly, obviously avoiding telling Draco what the rituals were for. Draco hummed once again thoughtfully, sighing as he sat down on his bed.   
"Okay then, you don't want to talk about it. Potter, go to bed." Draco spoke out softly, fishing for the book on his bedside table absentmindedly.   
"R-right, yes, okay." Harry stuttered, falling out of his weird staring faze. He quickly turned, murmuring another appreciative comment for the clothes, drawing his hands tighter around them as he hastily left the other wizard's bedroom. 

Harry untensed, confused as to what just happened as he crossed over the hallway to his own bedroom door. The room was of a similar style to Malfoy's, except it only had one smaller wardrobe within it, for which Harry was very thankful for. The bed was the same size as the one he had at Hogwarts, making him smile as he changed rapidly into the clothes Malfoy had given him for the night and then jumping giddily into the bed. He sighed as he buried himself into the duvet, before casting a paranoid look around his room. 

Subconsciously, he'd always been scared of big spaces. As a child, his tiny cupboard had always been the only place that Vernon couldn't touch him and grab at him. At Hogwarts, he shared a busy dorm room with four other boys, which meant that he never had too much space to himself. He was unsure about his new room. It was too big. He didn't like how open it was and feared that he was too defenceless in here. Hadrian wasn't here. He couldn't help Harry at the moment. Just like the many years before, Harry would just have to cope alone. 

\--------Morning--------

"Harry?" Hadrian shouted as he knocked on his younger brother's bedroom door. It was only 7 am, however, Narcissa had decided that they would have breakfast before getting ready to leave for Diagon Alley. Lucius and Voldemort would also attend breakfast before leaving shortly after that as well. Hadrian didn't really know where Voldemort was planning to meet his DeathEaters, nor did he really care at this moment as long as they all stayed as far away as possible from him.   
Hadrian sighed, dragging himself out of his thoughts when he realised he hadn't received an answer from his younger brother.   
"Harry, I'm coming in," Hadrian called out softly, opening the door and looking in at the bedroom that was similar to his own.   
Hadrian frowned when he realised the Harry wasn't in his bed nor in the room at all. Hadrian called out the younger wizard's name once again before he heard a muffled response through one of the side doors.  
"Harry?" Hadrian called out in confusion, opening the door to the boy's wardrobe and glancing into it. Hadrian froze when he saw his younger brother in the corner of the smaller room, buried under a spare blanket he must have found inside the wardrobe.   
Hadrian sighed, realising he had forgotten his past fears of big spaces. Harry had never experienced time in a small prison cell before, nor a small tent whilst on the run, so he would obviously still hold his childhood fears.   
"I'm sorry Harry," Hadrian whispered morosely, walking over and crouching beside the sleeping boy. "Harry?" Hadrian gently spoke as he rubbed the boy's shoulder, pulling the younger wizard from his sleep.   
"-adrian..." Harry slurred as he slowly woke up, sitting up as he went to rub at his eyes.   
Harry took in his surroundings, pulling his glasses on from where he had left them on the floor beside him. He turned to look up at his brother and smiled. "Morning." Harry greeted softly before blushing when he realised that he had actually slept in his wardrobe.   
"I-I..." Harry started only to be gently shushed by the older Potter. "It's fine Harry. I understand." Hadrian declared restfully, standing with the other boy.   
"Now, breakfast will be served soon and then we'll be heading into the alley. Just get ready and I'll wait for you outside." Hadrian requested as he deliberately pushed the boy towards the clothes waiting for him on his bed. 

Hadrian then turned and left the boy's bedroom, unsure as to how to ask Narcissa for another request as Harry couldn't continue living and sleeping in his wardrobe. 


	16. XV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It kind of seems like I've started posting more often on Mondays nowadays. So that may be a change in schedule for me to look at.  
> Thought that the two should have a break at some point, so this chapter was quite a refresher!  
> Anyway, there aren't any warnings for today, so enjoy!!  
> Xx

Hadrian then turned and left the boy's bedroom, unsure as to how to ask Narcissa for another request as Harry couldn't continue living and sleeping in his wardrobe.   
\---  
"Hadrian?" The young man turned, jumping slightly from surprise as he whipped round to see the Malfoy heir stepping out of his room and gently closing the door.   
"Oh, good morning Draco," Hadrian commented softly, looking at the boy and leaning back on the wall beside Harry's door.   
"Good morning as well," Draco replied cautiously, his eyes lingering on the unopened door beside the man.   
"Breakfast?" Draco asked, turning to the man.   
"It'll be ready in a few moments. I came to see if Harry was okay before we go out after breakfast." Hadrian explained, his one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.   
"Draco, I don't suppose you have smaller rooms than the one your mother provided Harry with? It's not that he's ungrateful but he's...umm..." Hadrian trailed off, unsure as to whether he should mention Harry's fear of large spaces.   
The younger Malfoy lifted an eyebrow and tilted his head in consideration. "We have the servant's quarters but I'm afraid mother wouldn't accept anyone entering them whilst being a guest. She'd probably faint." Draco stated, his witty nature coming forward as he mentioned his mother with a fond smile.   
"Oh, ok." Hadrian deflated, unsure as to what to do next now that Harry wouldn't be able to sleep.   
"Do you think your mother would allow him to sleep in my room then?" Hadrian asked, his frown deepening as he tried to resolve the issue he had forgotten would be a problem.   
"I'm not sure. Why don't you just ask her yourself?" Draco observed, a smirk falling onto his face. Hadrian let out a nervous laugh, lifting his hands to play with strands of his hair nervously. A habit that he'd picked up just after the war had finished.   
"Uh, well. No offence at all...but your mom's kind of...um... _scary_?" Hadrian replied sheepishly, letting out an awkward laugh as Draco smirked at the older man.

"Don't worry. Father's terrified of her as well." Draco announced shortly, making Hadrian burst into laughter as he imagined a pale _Lucius Malfoy_ creeping down the hallways to try and hide from his wife.   
"What's going on?" Harry asked as he stepped out and closed his own bedroom door, self-consciously pulling on the sleeves of the navy blue oversized jumper that he had borrowed of Malfoy. 

Hadrian raised his eyebrows at the boy in question before he was interrupted by Draco himself. "It's a bit big. However, it won't draw as much attention as the clothes you were previously wearing would have." Draco acknowledged, looking at the jumper that was short in the sleeves for him but seemed to hang off Potter. He'd have to ask his mother to check Potter's health and make sure the clothes they bought today all had growth charms on them so that when he was treated, his clothes would grow with him. Draco then caught himself and mentally frowned. Why the hell was he worrying about Potter's weight all of a sudden? Granted, the other boy was acting completely different from how he usually would be acting and seemed to have a few problems. But that didn't mean he had suddenly won the sympathy of the Malfoy family...well except his mother, he supposed.   
Draco sighed, drawing his shoulder's up as he turned. "Let's go and have breakfast then." The boy stated, walking down the hallway and being followed shortly after by two others. 

\--------------------------After Breakfast------------------

"We'll be leaving now. Stay with Narcissa and Draco, do not try to run. Hadrian, you'll wear this." Voldemort commanded, standing and presenting a simple silver engraved bracelet to the other man.   
"What is it?" Hadrian asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at the bracelet and looked over the engravements. "Runes for..." Hadrian trailed off, unsure as to what he was reading. He sighed, looking up at the older man who watched him in amusement as he tried to guess over runes.   
"They're for tracking. However, there is also an inbuilt portkey within it that will bring you back here if you decide..." Voldemort stopped, piercing the jaded green eyes with his own ruby ones. "If you decide to 'escape' Narcissa will connect her own bracelet to yours and bring you back here." Voldemort threatened lightly, a smirk forming on his aristocratic face.   
Hadrian sighed, nodding his head in agreement and lifting his left wrist so that the man could clasp the bracelet around it.   
"Also, I will be the only one who can take this off. Take it as a...safety precaution." The man grinned nastily, his hand tightening around Hadrian's small wrist for a moment before the coldness in the ruby eyes fell and the Dark Lord sighed and stepped back from the other man, releasing his fist.

"Now. Be good." Voldemort smiled mockingly, turning his back on the older Potter and walking out of the room with Lucius.  
Hadrian's hand went to grip his wrist, rubbing it gently as he sighed.   
_What the hell am I even doing?_

\--------Diagon Alley---------

"Whilst we're here, we'll visit Gringotts so Hadrian can take out some money before we go and get clothing for Hadrian and Harry. Stay together, please." Narcissa ordered gently, her tone almost pleading as she looked at Hadrian with a look that almost had him smiling and nodding heartily. She set her guards high when around others, yet she was such as caring and motherly woman that Hadrian couldn't help but smile at her actions.   
"I promise," Hadrian reassured softly, his hand subconsciously moving to rub at his wrist once again. Narcissa caught the action and let out a slow breath. "If it continues to hurt, I'll give you some cream for it later. Calm down, for now, Harry is noticing your doubt." Narcissa remarked softly, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder as she moved past him to stand with her son.   
"Let's get you some money then," Narcissa announced, composing herself and representing the Malfoy demeanour as she began walking into the streets. 

\-------------Madam Malkin's Robe Shop-----------

"We'll be needing two complete wardrobes for these two fine gentlemen please," Narcissa announced as the small group entered the shop, Hadrian clutching a never-ending small bag of money that he had gotten from Gringotts.   
"Merlin, two whole wardrobes?!" One of the staff members shouted in exasperation, rushing to clear others from the standing stalls so that Hadrian and Harry could stand and be measured. Clearly, the man wanted the costly sale.   
He was a fairly handsome man, seemingly in his mid-twenties. His hair was long and dyed red, pulled into a low ponytail. His face held a small amount of facial hair, just on his chin.   
"Just stand up there and we'll have you measured!" The man pushed the two wizards up onto the platforms, both of them looking at each other in embarrassment.   
The man returned rapidly and hummed at the two males, looking at them in such detail that Harry coughed nervously and blushed whilst Hadrian looked over at Narcissa and Draco in concern. Narcissa giggled politely into her hand as Draco watched with a satisfied smirk as the two wizards blushed and stumbled around.   
"I suppose we could work with colours that go with your eyes. Most clients prefer their clothes to enhance their looks, obviously." The man laughed wildly as he spun around giddily, looking for fabrics.   
"The short one, _you!_ Your eyes are emeralds, they shine like jewels! You'll look absolutely fabulous in colours such as blues and blacks. The darker colours will make your eyes appear even brighter!" Harry's eyes widened as he back away from the strange man before blinking in surprise when his hands were filled with all types of clothes.   
"I thought he was measuring us first?" Harry whispered, slightly traumatised from the man. Hadrian chuckled softly from next to him and shrugged in confusion himself.

"I don't kn-" Hadrian was cut off when the man appeared in front of him, pulling at his hands.

"And you! you look like a dark angel! Your eyes are similar to the younger boy's but are soulful and darker!! You're _jaded!_ Only the best for a beautiful young wizard!" The man exclaimed happily, jumping around to pull at black robes and silver and leather.  
"Ummm..." Hadrian tried to reply, embarrassment showing as he stumbled over what to say next. "I, uh...thanks?" Hadrian replied lamely, playing with strands of his hair as he collected the clothes in his other arm. The young man was blushing from the forwardness of the man and Harry was laughing beside him.   
"Now go change! Don't worry about the sizes, I'll shrink them to fit you after you come back out!" the man called excitedly, ignoring the offended faces the two wizards made at the man assuming their clothes would need shrinking. 

  
For the second time on this day, Hadrian thought to himself, _"What the hell am I even doing?"_


	17. XVI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haha, just in time to finish Saturday off with a BANG!! As I said previously, my update schedule is still once a week, it will just become less clear on what exact day I will now be publishing.  
> But rest assured, you WILL get a chapter every week until I'm finished!  
> Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!  
> WARNINGS - Possible references to malnutrition caused by neglect.

_For the second time on this day, Hadrian thought to himself, "What the hell am I even doing?"_

\--------------------  
After Hadrian had gone through all the clothes in his arms, he secretly decided he loved the green-lace button-up shirt and the oversized grey jumper, that he had tried on, the most. He then fished out the same clothes just in different colours, primarily in darker shades of green and blue. He also picked up a black and a white version of the same lace shirt.   
"Okay, I think I'm done." Hadrian sated as he pulled the mass amount of clothing into his arms and placed them down to be measured up properly. 

Harry was still changing in the separate room, and his small giggles could be heard from outside, in the viewing room.   
"Harry? What are you laughing about?" Narcissa asked, her giggles falling delicately from her lips due to the infectious laughs.   
"I'm swimming in it!" Harry chirped, his laughs still falling as he opened the changing room door and lifted his arms theatrically.

The boy was wearing tight black jeans, surprisingly muggle and fit his small figure quite well. What was too large, was the jumper that he was wearing. The jumper itself was a plain light grey jumper and was much too large on the small boy. The jumper itself fell to the boy's mid-thigh and the sleeves fell over the boy's hands. Harry had bunched the sleeves into his fists as he laughed at himself.   
Hadrian took one look at the boy and fell into his own giggles, before quickly sobering up. "What size is that?" Hadrian asked the over-enthusiastic salesman, who had popped over when he heard all the laughter.

"Oh, that jumper! That one was already pre-set to Heir Malfoy's size," The red-haired male announced happily before furrowing his eyebrows. "Are they not the same age? I would have thought it would fit..." The man's incredulous tone trailed off to a halt when he was met with glares off of both the Malfoy Matriarch and the good lucking male currently standing off to the side, his new clothes were being prepared and shrunk by other workers.   
"S-sorry." The man stuttered out, jumping up and away, to quickly find a different customer.   
"Hadrian?" Harry called out, his laughter gone as he looked at himself in the mirror self-consciously.   
"Are you okay, Harry?" Hadrian asked, walking up to his brother and placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, spinning him away from the mirror.   
"Why are we-I mean-Why am I so small compared to..." Harry cast a glance over at Malfoy, only to realise the boy was already looking at him. Their eyes met and Harry quickly glanced away, letting out a sigh as he turned back to the mirror. "I've never cared about what I wear or looked like before. Why am I..." Harry dragged out, his tone soft as he looked at his reflection intently.   
"You've never had the opportunity to care before. So now that you have, you've changed because your _opportunities have changed_. It'll be fine Harry. Pack up what you want and bring it over to my pile of clothes. We'll get them registered so that we can pick them up later and in the meantime, we can go get ice cream if you want?" Hadrian asked, reassuring the younger boy and receiving a nod of agreeance as he walked to the staff members who were casting resizing charms on all of his clothes.   
"That's everything. Do, you think we could come by and pick it up later?" Hadrian asked the worker, an easy smile of his lips as the twenty-something-year-old girl blushed and nodded.

"Sure thing. They'll be ready in about half an hour. Is that quick enough?" The girl asked hesitantly, shyly casting a glance at the handsome male.   
Hadrian grinned charmingly and nodded, "Thank you, that will be enough time." The wizard then turned and left, throwing a wave over his shoulder happily as he exited the shop with the Malfoy family and a younger boy, possibly his brother.   
"Who was that?" The girl's colleague asked as she walked up to the flustered girl.

"I think...that was a Potter." The girl replied, the blush tinted on her face fading as her friend turned to her with an incredulous look.

\-------------------Florian Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour---------------

"What flavour would you like Hadrian?" Narcissa asked politely, glancing down at the boy, who was paying more attention to his surroundings.   
"O-oh. Sorry. Can I have honeycomb please?" Hadrian replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes fell back over to the buildings.   
"What's got you so distracted, Hadrian?" Narcissa questioned in confusion, unsure as to why the young man looked so out of his element.   
"I just...It's strange to see everything the same as it was before the war happened. It's been so long..." Hadrian responded, distracted as he took in the many shops around him and the many wizards and witches happily walking around on the streets. Hadrian couldn't help but wonder how many of them had been killed in his world, during the war.   
"Oh, my dear. It'll get easier with time." Narcissa reassured, pressing a gentle hand down onto the young man's shoulder.   
Hadrian wasn't sure if she was talking about the different timezone or his situation as a whole.  
"I hope it does," Hadrian murmured back, his face signifying too many truths for Narcissa to understand what the man was thinking and feeling.   
"I hope it does too." Narcissa smiled gently, sharing a brief look with the teen wizard before handing him his ice cream.   
"We should probably go and sit down with the boys before they try to kill each other," Hadrian commented, an amused smirk filtering onto his face and ridding the look of despair off of his face from before. He looked around for the younger two wizards and caught sight of the two, who were sat at a table, outside the front of the shop.   
"Harry, Draco, here's your ice cream," Narcissa stated as she held out the two individual ice-creams out to the boys. The tense boys thanked the woman quietly, relaxing when the two adults both sat down beside them.   
"What's going on?" Hadrian asked, noticing the strange tenseness of both boys.   
"The Weasleys and their friends. They're over there." Draco announced, tilting his head in the direction of the small group of Weasleys as he studied Harry with an unrecognisable look in his eyes. 

  
Harry was panicking, pulling into himself as he cast frantic looks around him before trying to hide further. He could fight Trolls, Basilisks and _live_ with his parent's murderer, but he could not face the people that had left _him_ and betrayed _him_ for so many years.   
"Hadrian?" Narcissa asked, her calm voice now terse as she noticed the Weasley's catching sight of them and beginning to hurry over.   
The two youngest Weasley's seemed to be with the Hermione Granger and Remus Lupin. A strange group to be out and about without the Weasley's parents with them.   
"Harry!" The three teens called out collectively, drawing attention from the surrounding wizards and witches. The audience all seemed to gasp theatrically as Harry Potter was seen publically for the first time since he had won the Triwizard Tournament.

Harry himself stood shakily before moving to stand beside someone else.   
The man was a similar stature as the young saviour, but he was taller and seemed to have darker green eyes. Yet, it could be said that the man looked frighteningly too much like a Potter and seemed to be acting as the boy's guardian as he placed himself slightly in front of the younger boy before being knocked aside by flinging arms. 

"Harry! How dare you run away!" Hermione shouted, her lecture mode coming through as she stomped up to the smaller boy and grabbed his shoulder's harshly. Her hands were quickly pulled off the younger boy as he threw the girl off of him gently and backed away from the girl to stand by the unknown man.   
"Don't touch me!" Harry cried, his hand going to grip at the handle of his wand discreetly.   
"Harry?" Lupin's sombre voice caused both Potters' to flinch.   
Harry felt guilty and didn't want to feel like he was betraying his parent's best friend. Yet, with all the bloody changes in his life and the secrets that had been exposed...he didn't know who he could trust.   
"Who's that Harry?" Lupin asked, his calm voice now suspicious as he narrowed his fixated eyes on Harry's brother.   
He looked too similar. Too much like James and Lily. He couldn't just be a Potter, Lupin realised quickly. Ever the intellectual in the group. Lupin sighed tiredly, rubbing his hand over his face to try and wash away the feeling of chronic tiredness.   
"Let's go somewhere private," Lupin announced quietly, noticing the attention on them. Hadrian quickly nodded, ushering both Harry and Draco to stand up.   
"They're coming with us," Hadrian demanded wearily, casting an apologetic glance over at Narcissa and her son. She collected herself and nodded at his look.   
"Let us hire a private room to speak," Narcissa commented, patting Hadrian's shoulder absentmindedly to reassure him as she stood elegantly and started in the direction of where she knew she could find a private space to speak.   
Harry frowned, confused and bewildered why his brother would want to willingly enter the same room as his murderers. Harry then looked at his brother and noticed-  
Hadrian was shaking.   
He was as terrified and as furious as Harry himself felt. 


	18. XVII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! I had to re-read everything today in order to do this chapter so that I could get into the story once again!  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

Harry frowned, confused and bewildered why his brother would want to willingly enter the same room as his murderers. Harry then looked at his brother and noticed-  
Hadrian was shaking.   
He was as terrified and as furious as Harry himself felt. 

\-----------------------------------------------------

"They aren't allowed to be in this conversation. It hasn't anything to do with them." Hadrian pointed out sternly, looking over at the younger versions of his betrayers.   
"Who are you? What are you doing with Harry? Harry, why are you with the bloody Malfoys?!" Hermione and Ron both started shouting at the two brothers, ignoring the obvious dismissal. Ginny was too busy intensely staring at Harry, who tried to hide a flinch as he backed up behind both his brother and Malfoy. 

"Who are you?" Remus Lupin calm voice cut through the cries of anger and frustration from the two best friends of his pseudo-Godson.   
"I won't tell you anything unless they leave. This is family business." Hadrian replied, casting another look at the offended faces of the two gingers and the brunette.  
"Okay then. Ginny, Ron, Hermione, go wait outside." Remus requested softly, sighing in annoyance when all he was met with was looks of denial.   
"B-but we're as much of Harry's family as you!" Ginny shouted in distraught, her eyes turning to look over at Harry as if pleading for him to be her hero.   
"Yeah! My parents are basically his parents! That makes us brothers! Why should we have to leave?!" Ron bellowed out in disagreement, shaking his hands as if trying to intimidate whoever tried to disagree with him. 

"I already _have_ parents!" Harry cried, jumping from behind Malfoy and his elder brother and storming up to the taller ginger.   
"Your parents are your own! I have never once said that they were my parents and they will never be! I am thankful for the times they have housed me but they have never and will never be my parents! I already have parents!" Harry declared fiercely, as the taller ginger boy who he had recognised as his best friend only a few weeks ago turned red in anger as he pushed the younger boy down in front of him.   
"You don't have parents, Harry! You're an _orphan_." Ron uttered coldly as he stared down at the emerald-eyed boy on the floor.   
"You should be thankful for everything my parent's ha-" Ron began but before he could finish he was thrown out of the room harshly through the open door. 

"Leave," Hadrian stated coldly as he stared eerily at the red-faced muggleborn and Ginger-haired pureblood.   
"Wait-" Hermione began, only to be faced with such a terrifying look from the boy on the floor that she left quickly. 

"Ginny, tell your brother that I do have parents. Just because they are dead doesn't mean that they aren't my parents and if he wasn't so disillusioned with that, he would have had an actual chance of staying my friend. Also, remind him that since he feels that I'm such a _needy little orphan,_ that I don't want to oppose and intrude on him or your family again." Harry finished, standing unsteadily from his place as he cast her one final look at the furious girl as she left to find her brother and Hermione. 

As they all left, Remus rapidly went to lock and seal the door away from any possible hearing enchantments that the three may decide to use since they weren't invited to the conversation. 

He turned back quickly at the sound of sniffling to see his pseudo-nephew crying quietly into the shoulder of his look-alike.   
"I'm sorry, Harry." Remus apologised softly as he walked up to the boy and patted his shoulder in reassurance. However, the man was shocked when the boy quickly turned and wrapped his arms around Remus' middle instead, burying his face gently into the older man's chest.   
"It's okay, cub. It'll get better." Remus reassured once again, wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders. 

"It won't for a while." The mysterious Potter lookalike announced; a bitter smile etched onto his face.  
"Who are you?" Lupin asked once again, looking at the younger wizard who smiled softly.   
"C'mon Moony. I know I'm older and I look a bit different but I don't think I've changed that much, have I?" Hadrian responded with a chuckle, smiling brightly at the look of shock on the older man's face.   
"H-Harry...how?" He questioned, looking down at his young nephew and back up at the familiar figure in front of me.   
"Yes, although I now go by Hadrian. Long story short, I'm from a twin dimension from a few years in the future. Except, the dimensions aren't identical twins and more like fraternal twins and I'm nearly five years older and more of a brooding kind of guy then Harry here." Hadrian explained sheepishly, receiving a sharp tap on the back of the head from Narcissa at the poorly attempted joke. Hadrian winced dramatically before rolling his eyes and looking down at Harry.

"Are you okay?" Hadrian asked his younger brother, who had stopped his crying and chuckled quietly at Hadrian's attempt at humour.  
"Am I that bad of a comedian?" Harry asked the room, receiving laughs from each person no matter how hard they tried to keep them in. One sober, Harry nodded and smiled.   
"I'm okay. It's actually relieving actually. It was easier to break our friendship off whilst I had an excuse rather than waiting to do it at Hogwarts where everyone would find a way to blame it on me." Harry noted, ignoring the frowns from the adults that he received for his ignorance of the poor treatment he received off of the other students. 

"I did tell you that he was an idiot," Draco announced suddenly, tensing slightly when he realised his comment could be taken the wrong way.   
"In a weird way, you were right. I'm pretty sure you said, ' _You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there._ ' I suppose in a weird way that was kind of true." Harry realised, imitating Malfoy and what he had said perfectly. Harry looked up and realise that Malfoy was staring at him with a weird expression on his face.   
"What?" Harry asked in confusion, wiping away the leftover tears from his face absentmindedly with his too-large sleeve.   
"Nothing!" Malfoy replied instantly, turning his face away and staring off to the side, a faint pink blush appearing on the aristocrat's face.

Hadrian coughed suddenly, drawing everyone's attention back to the matter of hand and away from the too embarrassed teens. 

"Anyway, I got here about a week ago after being almost killed by theirs truly-" Hadrian pointed to the door and noticed Remus grow white with the new information.   
"I found out quite a lot of information actually. but I'm not going to share it until I know you're free of blocks and compulsions. We'll meet again soon, but if anyone asks who the new Potter is... Well, I'm an unknown relative of Harry's who was recently blood adopted as his sibling to be his guardian, by the Goblins. That's all I told you and I didn't say anything else except that I'm Harry's new guardian due to complications found at his previous housing by the Goblins. Remus, can I trust you not to tell anyone, not even Sirius or Dumbledore? I'll find a way to contact Sirius soon to help him escape The Order's homemade prison and then we can meet together and I'll explain the rest. I can't tell you anything else unless I know for certain that I can trust you...completely..." Hadrian broke off, swallowing unsteadily. "-I want to trust you, trust me! I just..." Hadrian broke off once again, his eyes looking up at the taller man. "-You just travelled to a different dimension after your two alleged best friends tried to murder you? I can see where the trust issues come from Cub, don't worry about it." Remus carried off in understanding, smiling down at his pseudo-nephew before cheerfully grinning at his older-pseudo-nephew.   
"I'll see you soon then, Cub?" Remus asked worriedly, casting a glance at the two Malfoy's before focusing back on his older nephew.   
"You will. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Harry and I will be fine." Hadrian reassured, pulling the older wizard into a loose hug, minding of Harry beside them joining in quickly. The three pulled away chuckling as Remus sighed before nodding towards the Malfoy's politely and turning to his nephews with a smile on his face.   
" _Be careful_ , you two," Remus commanded softly as he cast them a final smile, before turning and leaving the room. 

The last four occupants of the room let out a collective breath of relief. 

"That went better than expected," Narcissa commented thoughtfully, thinking of how her rebellious cousin will react when he finally hears about where his Godson's are staying.


	19. XVIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got a longer chapter out! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it.  
> WARNINGS: Violence

**_Previously:_ **

_The last four occupants of the room let out a collective breath of relief._  
_\---_  
_"That went better than expected," Narcissa commented thoughtfully, thinking of how her rebellious cousin will react when he finally hears about where his Godson's are staying._

_\---------------------------------------------------------------------------_

" _You told him_?!" Voldemort's furious voice rips through the dining room as he stands and glares down at the smaller man.   
"I did-" Hadrian was cut off when he felt something wrap around his throat and waist, pinning him to the chair. Voldemort's hand managed to cover the majority of Hadrian's neck as he leaned down and choked the younger wizard.   
"What were you thinking?!" It's hissed out so close to what a snake would sound like that Hadrian can't figure out if the man is still speaking in English or not. The pressure of the hand building reminded Hadrian that he needed to get out of the situation before the older wizard actually tried to kill him.   
"G-get o-off!" Hadrian choked out, lifting the only hand that hadn't also been pinned down and tugging at the fist around his throat.   
"Stop it! _Stop_!" Harry shouted from behind them, the first of the small audience surrounding them to break out of their little spell of shock.   
Voldemort only smirked cruelly at the young boy as he tightened his hand further, ignoring the gasps coming from the man he held so viciously.  
"He was _stupid_. He will be _punished_!" Voldemort snapped, staring down the 14-year-old until the boy grew red in the face and stomped over to them.  
"He is not your follower!" Harry yelled out, shocking everyone in the room.   
"Even then, you do not own anyone. You cannot punish people just because your views don't match up with theirs. Stop it now, else we'll leave." Harry threatened as he stepped up towards Voldemort, looking him directly in the eyes as the man watched him in interest.   
"And child, how would you do that?" Voldemort asked sardonically, loosening his hold over the other Potter. Hadrian spluttered and coughed as he tried to gasp in air, his face red from prolonged inexposure to precious oxygen. Hadrian pulled away shortly from the other man and stood in front of his younger brother, who was busy still glaring up at the Dark Lord. 

  
"I was wrong," Hadrian called out softly, turning the attention towards him. 

  
"You're not any different from him. You're a murderous sociopath who doesn't care about anything except power and immortality. I was wrong for thinking that you would have changed in a different dimension. In reality, you're still the same lunatic who would invade a school and kill hundreds of children. Just like the pitiful snake-version of you did." Hadrian cut off sharply, rubbing his sore neck as he turned and grabbed his brother gently. Pulling the puzzled boy with him out of the room, he winced and silently apologised to the Malfoy's as he slammed the door. 

\-----------------------

The next few days were slow for Harry and Hadrian. They followed the same routine where Harry would sleep in Hadrian's room for a certain level of security, just in case the Dark Lord decided he wanted to 'Punish' them again. They took their food in their room and only left to get a few books from the library. Otherwise, they would share small talk with one of the Malfoy's as they passed them on the way to the library or on the way back to their rooms. Other than that, their contact with the other people in the manor was limited and their contact with a specific dark wizard was none existent.

  
It was only until a week later when the door slammed open and almost flew off its hinges that both Harry and Hadrian were faced with the man.   
"If you two are done acting like argumentative children we will be having a meeting in ten minutes with my most trusted," Voldemort announced, rolling his eyes as he looked at the two wizards who were sprawled on the floor, their eyes trained on different books.   
"Childish? Avoidance is most certainly a normal reaction for when someone chokes you." Hadrian stated back, his eyes unmoving from the page he was reading.   
"Choking? I suppose not everyone likes it." Voldemort stated nonchalantly, watching in hidden amusement when the two wizards on the floor both lit up like fires.   
Hadrian had dropped his book and cursed when he lost his page, blushing like a tomato while avoiding all eye contact with the two others in the room.   
Voldemort smirked in interest as he watched the smaller man blush and drop his book, making Harry giggle whilst glowing pink. Hadrian froze in shock, a late reaction on all accounts, before turning to the older man. "I can't believe you just made a joke," Hadrian announced before bursting into his giggles, his face still a bright red as he looked over at the older man but avoided his eyes. 

  
It took a few minutes before Voldemort grew bored of the two wizards laughing and sighed in annoyance. "The meeting will start soon. Will you be attending?" Voldemort asked briskly, walking over to the older Potter. "I will. Harry, do you want to come?" Hadrian asked as he stood up, brushing imaginary dust off of his new dark royal-blue robe.   
"I...uh...I don't think I will. If that's okay with you?" Harry asked hesitantly, unsure as to what he was actually supposed to do and if the request was an order and not a choice. Hadrian reached down to pull the panicked boy up to stand beside him and smiled softly down at the younger wizard.   
"That's completely fine. Go and be a teenager. I know you want to explore the gardens. Just be careful and be back by dinner. We'll...have it in the dining room tonight." The older brother reassured, glancing over at Voldemort as he finished what he was saying. Voldemort nodded in response before turning to leave, followed by both Potters shortly after. 

\--------------Formal Dining Room - Malfoy Manor---------------  
"Who will be attending?" Hadrian asked seriously as he measured the door with a distasteful look, deciding whether he actually wanted to meet those on the other side of it.   
"It will be a similar number of those that were at the cemetery. There may be a few individuals who were not there but you should recognise the majority of them from your... past experience." Voldemort finished in distaste, his own disgust for his past self-showing and shocking Hadrian.   
The jade-eyed boy turned to the man beside him, an incredulous look on his face as he examined the taller wizard.  
"Do not stare, it's impolite," Voldemort told the smaller man and then sighed.

Hadrian's eyebrow raised further as he watched the human actions and doubting if his earlier statement was actually correct.  
This Voldemort, although still happy to use violence for anything, did exhibit some differences in character and personality than the one he had killed. Although, Hadrian supposed, that would likely be a side effect of regaining his sanity due to the possible reabsorption of his Horcruxes. 

"We will speak later," Voldemort announced as he haughtily wiped imaginary dust away from his outfit and pushed the two doors open dramatically, his robe billowing out behind him in a similar way to Snape's had once upon a time. Hadrian couldn't hold back a roll of his eyes as he straightened his posture and lifted his chin slightly, following behind the taller wizard curiously.   
Hadrian rid his face of any emotions as he surveyed the group of Death Eaters. The majority of them he had seen at the graveyard, and before that in another world where they had either been killed, sent to Azkaban or ran away like cowards. Hadrian fought the smirk off of his face as he thought of those moments in his previous life. The looks on their faces as they were sent off to live permanently in the most frightening and disgusting places in the wizarding world made Hadrian laugh in satisfaction. 

  
He didn't care.   
They had hurt people.   
Children.   
He hadn't given a toss about how they had felt.   
He still didn't.   
He only hoped these versions of themselves would make different choices. 

"Hadrian Peverell will be joining us and that is how you will address him. The scene at the cemetery does not exist in your minds. Do not think that because my appearance has changed that I am not your Lord. If someone were to...find out. The punishment will be severe." Voldemort paused briefly from where he was stood at the top end of the table. Unlike usual circumstances, Voldemort had made it clear that he would be sitting atop of the table during these meetings and Lucius had had little choice but to agree.   
Hadrian surveyed the cowering group of 'soldiers' before sighing and walking over to sit down to the right of Voldemort and across from Lucius. Voldemort has also sat down elegantly, smirking as he noticed that the majority of his followers in the room were holding their breath.   
An unnerving silence followed, a few of the members of the inner circle beginning to fidget in discomfort as they felt their Lords eyes on them, pinning them to their seats.   
Hadrian groaned quietly, now unsure as to why he bothered even attending if he wasn't actually going to witness a meeting between politician-crazed fanatics. It had turned out that he had to just watch cowardly men fight for the least amount of attention possible whilst Voldemort tried to terrify them into submission.   
"Now-" Voldemort began, his voice now carrying a tone that implied he knew that he was the superior force in the room. "-we will begin to discuss the actions we will take from now. Our current situation is in our favour, as the ministry and the cowards running it have dissolved the rumours of my wakening and have condemned any individual speaking it as if it's true." The pleased expression he spoke with calmed the men and women in the room as some even dared to snicker at the insult projected clearly towards the ministry. The Dark Lord's own lips twitched, overcome with satisfaction that he still controlled his followers enough for them to both fear and respect him, even after such a long time of being detached from a body and insignificant among the wizarding folk. 

"Our next plan of action is to make sure that this continues to happen. The ministry's fear and therefore inaction will become their own downfall in the future. This plan will not take long to strengthen as it is true. The Dark Lord Voldemort has not been rebirthed. The rumour only comes due to the rise in status and the come of age of one of the Dark Lord's distant relatives. I'm sure this will be an easy enough story to implant in the minds of the politicians and the communication and media workers at the ministry," Voldemort smirked at the shocked looks surrounding him, including the green-eyed man beside him. "Yes, Lord Voldemort is dead and will remain dead. Those who continue to spout such lies of him being reawakened will be dealt with by the ministry themselves." Voldemort paused once again, standing up, his smirk growing wider as hid inner circle almost leaned forward in anticipation. 

"I will be slowly integrating into the English Wizarding society after spending my childhood in an orphanage in Norway. When I was a child, I was followed and kidnapped by 'insane' followers of the Dark Lord Voldemort shortly after his fall, who were both on the run and trying to track down the individual that Voldemort had personally wanted to meet. When I returned to the orphanage, I had been given strict instructions to stay where I was and not relocate until Voldemort returned. That was also where I met Hadrian, who was also a child similar to my situation and had been gifted with magic as well. We grew up in the orphanage under the tutorage of fellow wizard's within the town, who had managed to find both of us and explain our powers to us. _Fearing for my life,_ I remained in that same town until Hadrian and I had both become of age. It was then that I heard my tutor speaking of the British Wizarding ministry announcing Voldemort's final death and quelling any rumours of his return. I took my life into my hands then and wanted to find out if it was true. Hadrian and I left Norway and travelled to England, where we both went straight to Gringotts. That one meeting led to myself and Hadrian becoming Lord's of previously thought extinct family lines. My name is Tomas Corvinus Gaunt." Tomas then went silent, and it echoed around the room like a buzzing noise.

Hadrian beside Tomas, let out an awed laugh as he moved to cover his forehead with his hand. "I concede. You are much more intelligent." Hadrian stated vaguely, his shock wearing off as he looked up at Tomas. The eyes of many following his every movement. 

  
Tomas met the smaller man's eyes, bright jaded green meeting ruby red.

" _Let the war begin,_ " Tomas whispered, yet it could be heard by everyone in the room.

Their eyes still pinned on one another, they ignored the remarks of excitement and triumph coming from the other people in the room.

  
Hadrian cocked an eyebrow, staring at the man.   
"We grew up together? That's going to be fun to explain since I hardly know this 'Tomas Corvinus Gaunt'." Hadrian stated mockingly, watching in wonder as the other man's eyes narrowed in amusement.   
"I agree. I hardly know 'Hadrian Peverell-Potter-Black, either." Tomas responded, his eyes so focused on the younger man in front of him that he didn't even flinch when the man's hand came up to grab his in a handshake as the younger stood up as well. "Then I suppose we have work to do," Hadrian commented absentmindedly, eyes widening when the other wizard's features changed suddenly, his expression morphing into an emotion Hadrian couldn't depict.   
"We do have work to complete. First, we must agree to the goals we want." Voldemort narrated, his hand tightening dangerously around the one in his grasp. Hadrian returned the strength and tightened his own grasp, nodding in determination.   
They stared at each other once more before they slowly withdrew from the handshake, Tomas' smirk growing as he watched the younger wizard sit back down and turn to watch the other followers congratulate each other on a movement they had yet to achieve. 

Tomas sat down silently, smiling sharply in triumph.  
' _He will join us soon. We will win this war.'_


	20. XIX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi people! We are going to start taking a look at Harry's life as well now so I hope you enjoy the chapter! He may not have gone through everything that Hadrian has, but he has still got a lot of stuff to work out. Maybe a certain blond will help him out?  
> Anyway! Enjoy the chapter!  
> WARNINGS: References to past death and murder.

_Previously:_   
_Tomas sat down silently, smiling sharply in triumph._   
_'He will join us soon. We will win this war.'_

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
When Hadrian and Voldemort had left, Harry had paused for a second. He hadn't been at the Malfoy Manor for long and was still confused about where to go to actually get out of the house. He sighed and rubbed his sleeve-covered hand in a downwards motion on his face. Harry then took another look over his surroundings before giving up when he didn't recognise anything around him.   
"Tilly," Harry called out reluctantly, never wanting to disrupt the house elves from their actual work.   
the female elf popped in and Harry held back a flinch at the loud noise, smiling down at the flustered creature.   
"W-what can me do for guest Potter, sir?" Tilly asked, her eyes widened as she looked at the fourteen-year-old in awe. She had never met someone so nice in her life.   
"Can you take me to the gardens, please?" Harry asked gently, casting a lost expression around the hallways. They all looked the same to him and he would never find a way out on his own. 

Tilly giggled nervously and nodded, proudly taking the hand of the sweet wizard and leading him to the gardens. Harry stared wide-eyed at the elf's forward actions as he was dragged gently down a few of the same looking corridors. Eventually, the elf and the young wizard both found themselves stood by two giant doors, leading out to the garden Harry had wanted to see. He had appreciated the view from Hadrian's bedroom and hand very much wanted to go and see the garden in person, only being stopped by the fear he felt from possibly running into Voldemort. 

As soon as he opened the doors, Harry let out a sigh of relief and quickly exited through the door. He almost started running through the large area of grass as he walked towards the flower patches with a grin on his face.   
It was a beautiful area. He recognised a few of the types of flowers from his Aunt's garden and immediately winced when he noticed the petunias. He turned quickly in disgust as went further into the garden and found the lilies. Harry smiled morosely as looked down at the different colours of lilies. Orange, white and pink lilies were sat together in the garden patch. Harry frowned in confusion as he realised that they were in full bloom about a month earlier than usual. Wild lilies tended to bloom in late summer and normally around the month of August. It was hardly even the end of July yet. 

  
"It's magic." A sarcastic voice stated as if it were obvious. Harry startled, his head jolting up to see Malfoy on the opposite side of the flower patch.   
"What do you mean?" Harry asked hesitantly, still undecided on how to treat the Malfoy heir after so many years of childish taunts that they had thrown at each other. He had been feeling less hateful towards the taller boy since he'd been stripped of hate potions. Predictably, Draco rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. "The flowers stay in bloom at all times. Mother casts a preserving spell on the garden every year after she replants. She says that beauty should be everlasting and not fleeting." Draco rolled his eyes once more absentmindedly before he looked over at the smaller boy, who was watching him with a startled look.   
"Understand now?" Malfoy clipped, his eyes narrowed as the boy nodded hurriedly and turned his attention towards the lilies once again.   
They were all different colours and vibrate as they grouped under the sun. Harry smiled nostalgically at the flowers, as he kneeled in front of them and gently touched them.

An abrupt cough startled him and he fell back, splaying down on the floor.   
A snicker filled the silent atmosphere as Harry looked up to see Draco staring down at him with a grin on his face. Harry's eyes widened as he noticed the relaxed and open look of the other boy's face and that was all it took for him to burst into his own giggles as he stayed laying in the cleanly cut grass. As both boy's calmed down, Harry caught himself watching the boy staring down at him. Only seconds later, Draco coughed and tore his eyes away from the boy on the floor. As if he was reluctant to do it, he hesitantly held a hand out for Harry to grab. Harry stared at the hand for a few seconds and then gently clasped his own hand around Malfoy's as the taller boy pulled him up off the floor.   
"Th-thanks Malfoy," Harry said shyly, their hands loosening as harry pulled his away to rub at the back of his neck. Draco raised an eyebrow at the other wizard's behaviour. He realised that since Harry had been here, the other wizard had been acting strangely. He almost seemed...timid.   
In a way, it was creepy and strange. The wizard who had been so outgoing and seemingly confident now seemed to have a more relaxed and shy character. And in another way, Draco very much preferred it towards the attitude he usually greeted him with. The boy had been obnoxious, sometimes overly rude. Granted, Draco had done the same many times. He wouldn't if it had anything to do with the rituals he had completed, he wasn't sure which could cause personality altering. 

Harry rocked on his heels as he looked away from the taller wizard and towards the other flowers surrounding the garden patch. He only recognised a few types, as Petunia had never believed in having too many different flowers in her garden at once. Others seemed to draw Harry in as if they were magnetic and that led him to believe they had magical qualities. 

For a while, the two boys just stood there together. Content to rest in silence and look at the garden. Draco seemed to be thinking too hard and Harry frowned when realising that they had both been standing outside for a while.   
"Do you think we should head back for dinner soon?" Harry asked in concern, seemingly embarrassed how he had let so much time pass without even realising it.   
"Yes. I suppose we should." Draco responded, his eyes opening as he was pulled from his thoughts by the younger wizard. He silently created a truce between the two as he waited for Harry to collect his bearings as they began the slow walk back to the Manor, Harry following Draco's direction.  
"You're rituals. Did one of them change your...attitude?" Draco asked hesitantly as if troubled over how to ask. He was sure that the sibling blood bond wouldn't have changed the other boy's personality, so it would have had to have been the other ritual.   
"I...yes. I had spells on me and they were cleared." Harry responded, unsure as to whether to go into more detail yet not feeling the usual compulsion to keep everything strictly private.   
Draco nodded, his brows furrowing in confusion as he abruptly stopped.   
"Who cast them?" Draco questioned, his tone hinting towards the fact that he already had a clue. Hadrian had been quite vague yet exceptionally helpful in identifying the people who had betrayed him. Which meant that Harry could currently also be being betrayed.  
"I'd rather not talk about it." Harry breathed out, his hands folding into fists as he felt a familiar build-up of anger rising.   
Draco cast the other boy a pointed look, prying further as he interrogated, "Was it Dumbledore? Or was it one of the other teachers? Didn't Hadrian say his best friends killed him? Doesn't that mean-" Draco paused, his face morphing into disbelief and then horror as he finally read into the situation that had seemed to fly over his head the last time it had been mentioned. . He turned quickly, seeing that the boy beside him had gone still, his fists clenched painfully as he tried to keep his anger at bay.   
"Oh. I'm sorry, Potter. I didn't realise that..." Draco faltered, not wanting to say anything more unless the boy had another breakdown.   
"D-do you know everyone who was involved?" Draco quizzed carefully, nudging the boy forward so that they could begin to walk again. With the question, Harry's body seemed to tighten even further, tensing and immediately giving Draco the answer.   
"Ah. I suppose I'll have to join you then in finding out who are the backstabbers. If anything, we Slytherins hate traitors the most." Draco announced, his tone light as he tried to thin the tension between the two of them.   
It worked.   
Harry's chin lifted slightly to look at the boy in confusion, his many questions remaining silent and unheard as he nodded with a small gesture and sent a small smile in the direction of the Malfoy heir beside him. 

As they reached the doors, Draco couldn't help but smirk when he thought about the fact that he would finally have a chance at becoming Harry Potter's friend. Well, that was if he didn't manage to screw it up again, he chided himself. 


	21. XX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone! I am slowly trying to make them longer since I want to get more plot in! We have more Harry POV this time! I hope you enjoy it!

Previously:   
As they reached the doors, Draco couldn't help but smirk when he thought about the fact that he would finally have a chance at becoming Harry Potter's friend. Well, that was if he didn't manage to screw it up again, he chided himself.   
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Harry trailed after Draco on the way to the dining room, silently cursing himself for being awkward.   
"Um, Malfoy?" Harry called out hesitantly to the boy in front of him. Said boy slowed down his strides and turned his head in bewilderment, indicating for the younger wizard to continue.   
"I...thanks," Harry said with a small smiled on his face, his hands tugging nervously at the sleeves of one of his new oversized jumpers that he'd thrown on over his t-shirt when he had left Hadrian's room. Draco faltered, his face contorting with something that Hadrian couldn't label. The young blond stopped, turning to face Harry completely as Harry watched with wide eyes, unsure as to what he had said to get such a reaction. 

"You're different, Potter." Draco commented suddenly after a brief pause of silence. "I am?" Harry replied, confused as he tried to think of how he was 'different'. He supposed he didn't get angry as fast as he used too. even his magic felt different, it hadn't exploded at people when he was irritated slightly. he knew there had been some compulsions on him to keep secrets and be untrusting from others, he supposed that was why he had started. He was emotional as well, but Harry had thought that was because of Cedric's death and gaining a guardian. Harry realised that he probably had changed in just the last few weeks. Too many things had happened for harry to recognise when had truly started opening up. Maybe it had been when Hadrian had first arrived when he had confessed about the Dursleys. It could have been when they had come to Privet Drive to get him and he had finally had enough of Petunia and all her crap. Harry was certain that the rituals had changed him as well.   
He no longer felt the need to stack all his emotions up behind a wall and hide them away from the world. A hysterical cry built in his chest when he realised the effects of all the compulsions had disappeared. The only thing left would be the obliviated memories that the Goblin's had said would return over time naturally. they also said that there was a possibility that the memories wouldn't return at all and that had made Hadrian frown and shout in anger.   
Harry blinked, realising that tears had started falling from his eyes once again. Harry let out a hitched breath as he moved to wipe his eyes with his sleeve. 

  
Draco had watched the boy with narrowed eyes as he froze, his features changing into shock as the boy started crying without even noticing it himself. Harry's eyes widened, bright green emeralds locking onto Draco's as he wiped his own tears away with the gigantic sleeves he was still gripping tightly in his palms.   
"Are you okay?" Draco asked, unsure as to what to do for the nth time since the other teen had arrived at his home.   
"No. I'm okay. I-I'm actually good." Harry answered back as he sniffed and sent a bright smile to the other teen, his newfound attitude making it a little easier to trust the other wizard.   
"Oh...Okay." Draco stated out loud, the awkwardness of his replay making him blush in embarrassment as he quickly turned on his spot and coughed. "Come on then, we need to meet my mother for dinner. Father said that the meeting may run over today because the Dark Lord is going over multiple plans. Oh uh, I suppose Hadrian went to the meeting as well? If so, he'll probably come and look for you when he's done." Draco explained and then came to a stop in front of one of the only doors Harry could seem to remember in the manor.   
"Hadrian said that he'd have dinner with me in the dining room today?" Harry said as he looked up at the taller boy, biting his lip in confusion. Draco watched the boy before nodding simply and knocking on the door once before opening the door whilst saying, "Yes. He'll probably end up having dinner with The Dark Lord and the rest of the Inner Circle if they've run over dinner. Which, it seems they have..." Draco trailed off, pulling the younger boy by his wrist into the informal dining room which only held the Lady of the Manor. 

  
"Mother," Draco acknowledged with a charming smile and a nod of his head. "Harry will be having dinner again with us today." He announced as the two moved towards the table, Narcissa standing and greeting Draco with a small hug before going to stand in front of Harry and smiling gently. "How have you been the last few days, Harry?" The woman asked nicely, her perfect features softening even further when she noticed the boy fidget in his place as he looked down at the ground. "It's been fine. Thank you for the recommendations on the books, Mrs Malfoy. I've only managed to read two of them so far but I'll be sure to finish them and return them as soon as possible!" Harry reassured the woman nervously, planning to just take the books back straight after dinner as he felt guilty for having them for days. Narcissa sighed softly, letting out a giggle as she raised a hand slowly and gently ruffled the boy's hair. As expected, the boy tensed up with the unfamiliarity of the gesture before finally relaxing in front of the two Malfoys.   
"I told you to call me Narcissa, didn't I?" The woman teased as she placed her hand on the smaller boy's shoulder to lead him to his chair beside Draco and opposite her.   
"O-oh, Ye-Um...Sorry, Narcissa." Harry stuttered out as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair as the woman moved to sit in her own.   
"It's fine, My dear. I was only joking." Narcissa mentioned as she snapped her fingers and a house-elf Harry didn't recognise popped in. 

"What cans Milsy do for you, Mistress?" The elf asked excitedly as she gestured wildly with her hands. "We would like to be served dinner. make sure that the food isn't too rich or heavy today, please." Narcissa ordered quietly before the elf nodded giddily and clapped, food suddenly appearing on the table. The house-elf then left after Narcissa nodded in acknowledgement and the silence carried on within the room.   
"What have you two been doing today then?" Narcissa asked the two boys as she picked at the boiled vegetables on her plate, keeping an eye on Harry to make sure he was eating enough.   
"We were in the gardens," Draco answered, taking a small sip of water afterwards.   
"Do you like the gardens, Harry?" Narcissa questioned directly, trying to get the boy to relax even further. Harry startled when his name was called and looked up at the woman. "I really like flowers and I've always been one for being outdoors," Harry stated giddily, smiling at the thought of the wild lilies that he would visit again.   
"Which flower is your favourite?" Narcissa asked once again, encouraging the boy to keep speaking.   
"Oh...um...I really love lilies." Harry admitted shyly, conscious as to what he was giving away and to who. Narcissa frowned suddenly and nodded before her eyes brightened once again. "That would be different. Your mother always preferred Daisies," Narcissa pronounced slowly, hiding her smile when the boy's face lit up.   
"She did?! Wait, does that mean you knew her? C-could you te-" Harry was cut off by Narcissa, who had reached forward to grab the boy's hands. 

"I'm afraid I didn't know her well," Narcissa announced quietly, tightening her hold on the boy's as she watched his face fall in resignation as if he had heard that so often he had become used to it. "Although I'm sure I could tell you about the few times I met her if you would like?" She added on, the excitement appearing once again on the boy's face as he nodded frantically with a grin on his lips. 

Draco observed in silence, doubting that he would be included in any conversation about Potter's mother with all the things he had said about her in the past whilst Potter and he had been fighting. Draco frowned in annoyance. He regretted all the stupid things he had said to Potter during the years of their famous rivalry when the boy next to him clearly didn't know enough about his mother to know if they were actually insults or just true. "Could you tell me about her?" A small hopeful voice to his right made Draco fall out of his thoughts, turning to look more clearly at the excited wizard beside him who seemed to be so happy that he couldn't stop grinning. Draco turned, sending a careful glance at his mother as she smiled once again at the boy opposite to her, squeezing his hands gently, "Of Course,"

Narcissa then straightened in her chair, pulling her hands away from Harry as she looked up at the ceiling as if trying to recall something.   
"I only met her a handful of times since I was older and most definitely not in her house," Narcissa started with a small smile on her face.   
"She was an energetic and bright girl and defended people when they were being bullied or were upset. She was a true Gryffindor in that sense." Narcissa paused, looking across the table to see that Harry had his eyes closed as if he were imagining his mother.   
"I often thought that she would be able to fit in with all the houses. She had friends in all of them." Narcissa admitted out loud, lost in thought.  
"She did?!" Draco and Harry both shouted in shock, turning to stare at each other when they realised they had spoken at the same time.   
Narcissa hummed in response, watching the two boys before coughing to draw their attention back to her.   
"Yes. Your mother was best friends with Severus during the first half of Hogwarts." Narcissa announced, smirking when she noticed Harry freeze in shocked horror and turn to stare at her.   
"You...I...What?" 


End file.
